We need your help now
Support from readers like you keeps The Journal open.
You are visiting us because we have something you value. Independent, unbiased news that tells the truth. Advertising revenue goes some way to support our mission, but this year it has not been enough.
If you've seen value in our reporting, please contribute what you can, so we can continue to produce accurate and meaningful journalism. For everyone who needs it.
Sign in. It’s quick, free and it’s up to you.
An account is an optional way to support the work we do. Find out more.
By continuing, you are indicating that you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.
UK DEFENCE SECRETARY Michael Fallon has resigned this evening, after saying his past behavior may have fallen short.
Fallon has recently come under fire and apologised for putting his hand on a journalist’s knee in 2002.
It was already reported that he would face no investigation for this as the woman in question laughed it off.
It is unclear if any further allegations may have prompted his resignation.
Fallon is the first government minister to step down following a growing scandal around sexual harassment at Westminster. A series of allegations have been levelled against a number of MPs and ministers in recent days.
In his resignation letter to UK prime minister Theresa May, Fallon said that he had “fallen below the high standards” expected of him.
“A number of allegations have surfaced about MPs in recent days, including some about my previous conduct,” he said.
Many of these have been false but I accept in the past I have fallen below the high standards that we require of the armed forces that I have the honour to represent.
I have reflected on my position and I am now resigning as Defence Secretary.
Archie Bland / TwitterMichael Fallon's resignation letter pic.twitter.com/iJJ61QRFXh
— Archie Bland (@archiebland) November 1, 2017
In her response, May thanked him for his service.
“I appreciate the characteristically serious manner in which you have considered your position, and the particular example you wish to set to servicemen and women and others,” she said.
Sexual harassment scandal
Fallon’s resignation comes as Westminster has been embroiled in a controversy over a widespread culture of sexual harassment.
May earlier told the House of Commons that members of all parties were “deeply concerned” about allegations of abuse that have rocked parliament in recent days, often involving MPs and junior staff members.
May ordered an investigation late Tuesday into allegations that her de facto deputy Damian Green touched the knee of a female journalist and later sent her a suggestive text message.
Green, a close ally who was at university with May, said it was “absolutely and completely untrue that I’ve ever made any sexual advances” towards Kate Maltby, a journalist and Conservative activist 30 years his junior.
Green and Fallon are just two of dozens of Tories listed on a spreadsheet circulated in Westminster, reportedly detailing ordinary relationships, sexual penchants and unspecified and unverified claims of inappropriate behaviour.
Another is junior trade minister Mark Garnier, who is also under investigation for breaches of the ministerial code for asking his then secretary to buy him sex toys in 2010.
With reporting from © – AFP 2017
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
Must be more to come, he hardly resigned over putting his hand on a woman’s knee?
@Jane: Maybe. Some people would regard that as sexual assault these days, and will call you a rape apologist for saying otherwise.
@Dj: there’s definitely more to it. The victim laughed it off which means the complaints are coming from elsewhere
@Dave O Keeffe: Victim? Of what? Inappropriate knee touching? Ah come on Dave!
@Jane:
It’s a common misconception to assume that knees are just knees however as a touched knee survivor myself I can tell you the physiological impact can be deep and far reaching. Fortunately for me I had amazing friends and family but not everyone learns to cope long term.
@Dave O Keeffe: exactly, it must be a preemptive strike.
@Dj: sorry, I left out the inverted commas
@Tweed Cap: you poor thing. Jesuistweedy!
@Jane: #Kneetoo
@Dave O Keeffe: Haha you’re probably right anyway. Has to be more to this.
@Unpersoned: funny
@Dave O Keeffe: Don’t think there was a victim in that case!
@Unpersoned: how many accounts have you had this week?
@Dave O Keeffe: how many has he had today never mind this week
@Dave O Keeffe: About 4 I think. Ridiculous I know. I didn’t even do anything :-(
@Jane: I’m running out of relatives phone numbers to verify myself on here. Only uncle Pat and my third cousin Stacy left now. Have to be on my best behaviour.
@Unpersoned: I thought you were just changing the name for a laugh, didn’t know your accounts were being blocked.
@Dave O Keeffe: No way, I would not be arsèd doing that. I’m being actively persecuted by the journal. I wouldn’t mind like but I didn’t even say anything that bad. They banned me the other day for telling people who won the fuking bakeoff! Lol… its so stupid.
@Dave O Keeffe: And I checked the T’s & C’s and there’s absolutely no mention of the bakeoff in there. Total joke. Just making up the rules as they go.
@Unpersoned: lol
@Jane: It’s not funny Jane. I’m like Nelson Mandela or something over here.
@Unpersoned: yeah Mandela, that’s exactly who you’re like.
@Jane: #freeyourmanonthejournal
@Tweed Cap: Great comment from a sensible person,who is obviously not of the snowflake generation.Sick of the weak-minded b@stards constantly whinging nowadays.Pathetic idiots.Oh! That horrible man looked at me! Fu@k off.
@Jane: __ He failed to point out where his other hand was.
@Kieran Conroy: you seem so offended though
@Jane: It’s bollocks. One minister resigns over allegations of sexually improper behaviour. Meanwhile former Defence Secretary Liam Fox is back in another ministerial post despite being forced to resign from his last post after being exposed as a corrupt turd. It’s arse-padding from HM Goverment, nothing more.
Got to admire the British politicians when they are wrong they usually resign. Our lot would have to be dragged out of the Dail kicking and screaming.
@Hank_Scorpio: no don’t have to admire them at all – but at least they have a system that requires someone to fall on their sword
If it was a once off and if, as appears, the victim was not really a victim but amused, it’s a disproportionate outcome.
@Fiona deFreyne: No way he would resign just because he placed his hand on someone’s knee. There must be something more to it.
@Fiona deFreyne: there is more, I’d say.. He’s jumping and hoping that kills the story
@Chucky Arlaw: Then he doesn’t know how the British press work .
@Fiona deFreyne: he resigned. Not for this
Comment section closed for the Terinan o Mahony case. I am now deleting this app. Goodbye all.
@Harry morriarty:
just comment on the next story and refer back to the other story like everybody else –
Journal do it to stop people saying obvious things like …
Anglo Irish Bank must still have access to cash and are still passing brown envelopes down the four courts..
@Harry morriarty : And we were also denied a good thread on the merits of banning stiletto heels.
@Harry morriarty: Why is judge Martin ‘seany fitzpatricks best friend’ Nolan allowed preside over all of these banking trials and instruct the jury how to vote, its baffling
At least he put his hands up to it.
@Fiona deFreyne: she must have been very tall,
@Fiona deFreyne: that is a poor choice of words there!
@Eugene Comaskey: intentionally chosen but not in good taste.
@Fiona deFreyne: we’ll see what comes out next. It might be pre-emptive. There’s no way he resigned for putting his hand on a journalists knee who says she the issue is closed. No way.
@Fiona deFreyne: At least you put your han, ah forget it .
In the U.K they do serious accountability. This probably is enforced by Theresa May . I remember CJHaughey sacking Brian Lenihan. Is anyone in Ireland accountable?
@feargal de cantuin: Think May could be about to have her own problems if it turns out that the practice of keeping a record of MPs indiscretions to keep them in check was still happening under her watch…
@feargal de cantuin: Muahahaha you’re joking surely. Accountability? Explain how Jeremy Hunt is still responsible for Health despite being universally HATED by NHS staff and patients alike. Explain how Boris is allowed to run anything more complicated than a tap after a long record of gross incompetence. Going further back, explain how Mandelson now sits in the Lords despite being forced to resign in disgrace multiple times (and somehow slithering back into power each time) while he was in government.
‘Fallen short of the high standards’ required of the British armed forces? Jesus, he must be an absolute monster (as well as not having a reading age of 11, if the standards are strictly applied)!
@Paul Devlin: When your job’s predecessors include titans like John ‘Flog-it-off’ Nott, Geoff ‘Buff’ Hoon and Liam ‘Werrity’ Fox, it’s not exactly a high bench mark.
Where is Tim Fortescue when you need him?????
The chief whip during ‘Ted Heath’s reign explains on camera, that any trouble a politician found himself in – ‘touching young boys’ for example, could disappear just like that! the bad deed could be used as a bargaining tool for party loyalty.
Check out Tim Fortescue, Ted Heath’s whip, explain on camera how child abuse could be used as a stay-in-line tool
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GwkOWPauu_A
(Hint ; Ted Heath /Eu )
@TonyF: thanks Tony. That is an incredibly detailed article.
https://villagemagazine.ie/index.php/2017/10/not-just-ted-heath-british-establishment-paedophilia-and-its-links-to-ireland/
My
@Jane: Oh my
@Unpersoned: oh no!
@Jane: Oh yes honey
If you touch some one when you are unsure if they want to be touched, like it or not, it’s a form of unwarranted sexual advances. That’s surely something you were taught early on.
I’m this case, the journo didn’t care but that didn’t make it acceptable. Fallon is a politician, he wouldn’t resign if he didn’t have to.
The way the sun spun it tried to dissuade others, but it clearly hasn’t worked.
@Wieran Kalsh: That makes me a sad panda
And the pussy grabber manages to stay in the White house.
@Dáithí Ó Raghallaigh: is the labour td who hired a rent boy still in Dail Eire announced?
@Ben Moylan: Sorry Ben. I’ve read it over and over and I don’t understand what exactly you’re asking. Announced what?
Tony Hartigan: I think it’s a reference to erectile dysfunction.
Fallen short!
Is that a metaphor for something?
Personally I don’t hold a Tory Defence Secretary in much esteem so I doubt if he would have disappointed me too much?
On the other hand, masquerading as something he isn’t and then resigning…
Surprised?
Yes!
What does that mean ” may have fallen short”
@Tony Hartigan: he was going for her thigh.
Who said he resigned over putting his hand on her knee..
maybe that’s just a stupid spin thing.
If people do something wrong and then the punishment should fit the crime.
Use precise geolocation data. Actively scan device characteristics for identification. Store and/or access information on a device. Personalised advertising and content, advertising and content measurement, audience research and services development.
These cookies are necessary for the website to function and cannot be switched off in our systems. They are usually only set in response to actions made by you which amount to a request for services, such as setting your privacy preferences, logging in or filling in forms. You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the site will not then work.
These cookies may be set through our site by our advertising partners. They may be used by those companies to build a profile of your interests and show you relevant adverts on other sites. They do not store directly personal information, but are based on uniquely identifying your browser and internet device. If you do not allow these cookies, you will experience less targeted advertising.
These cookies enable the website to provide enhanced functionality and personalisation. They may be set by us or by third party providers whose services we have added to our pages. If you do not allow these cookies then these services may not function properly.
These cookies allow us to count visits and traffic sources so we can measure and improve the performance of our site. They help us to know which pages are the most and least popular and see how visitors move around the site. All information these cookies collect is aggregated and therefore anonymous. If you do not allow these cookies we will not be able to monitor our performance.
Cookies, device or similar online identifiers (e.g. login-based identifiers, randomly assigned identifiers, network based identifiers) together with other information (e.g. browser type and information, language, screen size, supported technologies etc.) can be stored or read on your device to recognise it each time it connects to an app or to a website, for one or several of the purposes presented here.
Advertising presented to you on this service can be based on limited data, such as the website or app you are using, your non-precise location, your device type or which content you are (or have been) interacting with (for example, to limit the number of times an ad is presented to you).
Information about your activity on this service (such as forms you submit, content you look at) can be stored and combined with other information about you (for example, information from your previous activity on this service and other websites or apps) or similar users. This is then used to build or improve a profile about you (that might include possible interests and personal aspects). Your profile can be used (also later) to present advertising that appears more relevant based on your possible interests by this and other entities.
Advertising presented to you on this service can be based on your advertising profiles, which can reflect your activity on this service or other websites or apps (like the forms you submit, content you look at), possible interests and personal aspects.
Information about your activity on this service (for instance, forms you submit, non-advertising content you look at) can be stored and combined with other information about you (such as your previous activity on this service or other websites or apps) or similar users. This is then used to build or improve a profile about you (which might for example include possible interests and personal aspects). Your profile can be used (also later) to present content that appears more relevant based on your possible interests, such as by adapting the order in which content is shown to you, so that it is even easier for you to find content that matches your interests.
Content presented to you on this service can be based on your content personalisation profiles, which can reflect your activity on this or other services (for instance, the forms you submit, content you look at), possible interests and personal aspects. This can for example be used to adapt the order in which content is shown to you, so that it is even easier for you to find (non-advertising) content that matches your interests.
Information regarding which advertising is presented to you and how you interact with it can be used to determine how well an advert has worked for you or other users and whether the goals of the advertising were reached. For instance, whether you saw an ad, whether you clicked on it, whether it led you to buy a product or visit a website, etc. This is very helpful to understand the relevance of advertising campaigns.
Information regarding which content is presented to you and how you interact with it can be used to determine whether the (non-advertising) content e.g. reached its intended audience and matched your interests. For instance, whether you read an article, watch a video, listen to a podcast or look at a product description, how long you spent on this service and the web pages you visit etc. This is very helpful to understand the relevance of (non-advertising) content that is shown to you.
Reports can be generated based on the combination of data sets (like user profiles, statistics, market research, analytics data) regarding your interactions and those of other users with advertising or (non-advertising) content to identify common characteristics (for instance, to determine which target audiences are more receptive to an ad campaign or to certain contents).
Information about your activity on this service, such as your interaction with ads or content, can be very helpful to improve products and services and to build new products and services based on user interactions, the type of audience, etc. This specific purpose does not include the development or improvement of user profiles and identifiers.
Content presented to you on this service can be based on limited data, such as the website or app you are using, your non-precise location, your device type, or which content you are (or have been) interacting with (for example, to limit the number of times a video or an article is presented to you).
With your acceptance, your precise location (within a radius of less than 500 metres) may be used in support of the purposes explained in this notice.
With your acceptance, certain characteristics specific to your device might be requested and used to distinguish it from other devices (such as the installed fonts or plugins, the resolution of your screen) in support of the purposes explained in this notice.
Your data can be used to monitor for and prevent unusual and possibly fraudulent activity (for example, regarding advertising, ad clicks by bots), and ensure systems and processes work properly and securely. It can also be used to correct any problems you, the publisher or the advertiser may encounter in the delivery of content and ads and in your interaction with them.
Certain information (like an IP address or device capabilities) is used to ensure the technical compatibility of the content or advertising, and to facilitate the transmission of the content or ad to your device.
Information about your activity on this service may be matched and combined with other information relating to you and originating from various sources (for instance your activity on a separate online service, your use of a loyalty card in-store, or your answers to a survey), in support of the purposes explained in this notice.
In support of the purposes explained in this notice, your device might be considered as likely linked to other devices that belong to you or your household (for instance because you are logged in to the same service on both your phone and your computer, or because you may use the same Internet connection on both devices).
Your device might be distinguished from other devices based on information it automatically sends when accessing the Internet (for instance, the IP address of your Internet connection or the type of browser you are using) in support of the purposes exposed in this notice.
The choices you make regarding the purposes and entities listed in this notice are saved and made available to those entities in the form of digital signals (such as a string of characters). This is necessary in order to enable both this service and those entities to respect such choices.
have your say