U.K. defense secretary resigns after allegations of harassment

Michael Fallon.
(Image credit: Carl Court/Getty Images)

British Defense Minister Michael Fallon sent his letter of resignation to Prime Minister Theresa May on Wednesday, writing, "I accept that in the past I have fallen below the high standards that we require of the armed forces that I have the honor to represent."

Fallon is a forceful May ally, and in recent weeks, he was one of several lawmakers accused of inappropriate behavior. He apologized earlier in the week for touching a radio reporter's knee in 2002, but in his letter to May, said other allegations made against him "have been false." Fallon is the first to resign amid the scandal, and his replacement is expected to be announced Thursday.

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Catherine Garcia, The Week US

Catherine Garcia is night editor for TheWeek.com. Her writing and reporting has appeared in Entertainment Weekly and EW.com, The New York Times, The Book of Jezebel, and other publications. A Southern California native, Catherine is a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.