黑料社

British Defense Secretary Michael Fallon quit the government on Wednesday, stepping down from ministerial office in a developing scandal over sexual harassment at Westminster.

鈥淎 number of allegations have surfaced about (members of parliament) in recent days, including some about my previous conduct. Many of these have been false but 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,鈥� Fallon wrote in a resignation letter to Prime Minister Theresa May.

Fallon, who intends to remain a member of parliament, had apologized this week for putting his hand on the knee of political journalist Julia Hartley-Brewer.

Appearing on television, Brewer said she did not think Fallon鈥檚 cabinet resignation was based solely on the 2002 incident.

鈥淚鈥檓 assuming there are more allegations to come,鈥� she told Sky 黑料社. 鈥淚 doubt very much it鈥檚 because of my knee and if it is I think that鈥檚 really mad and absurd and crazy.鈥�

Fallon did not directly respond when asked by the BBC whether he was worried more stories were about to come out regarding his behavior

.

鈥淭he culture has changed over the years, what might have been acceptable 15, 10 years ago is clearly not acceptable now,鈥� he told the British broadcaster.

Government under pressure

May has called for rules on the behavior of members of parliament to be toughened and has requested a meeting next week with other party leaders, following the emergence of several allegations of sexual harassment at Westminster.

In a letter to Fallon, who was first elected to parliament in 1983, May thanked him for 鈥渁 long and impressive ministerial career.鈥�

鈥淚 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,鈥� she wrote.

Fallon has served as defense secretary since 2014 and was seen as a stable figure within the Conservative Party, regularly brought out to defend the government on television and radio.

His departure could force May into a difficult reshuffle, coming as the prime minister struggles to contain Brexit divisions within her own party and wield authority after calling a snap election in June backfired.

Westminster harassment claims

May鈥檚 government has been struck by several claims of sexual harassment, with an investigation underway into allegations that her de facto deputy Damian Green touched the knee of journalist Kate Maltby and later sent her a suggestive text message.

Green said it was 鈥渁bsolutely and completely untrue that I鈥檝e ever made any sexual advances鈥� towards the journalist.

Junior trade minister Mark Garnier is also under investigation for breaches of the ministerial code for asking his former secretary to buy him sex toys in 2010.

Dozens of politicians from the ruling Conservative Party have been listed on a spreadsheet circulated in Westminster, reportedly detailing ordinary relationships, sexual penchants and unspecified and unverified claims of inappropriate behavior.

But the allegations have not been confined to the Tories.

A prominent activist with the main opposition Labor Party claimed on Tuesday that she was raped by a party member as a teenager six years ago.

Bex Bailey, now 25, told the BBC: 鈥淚 told a senior member of staff, who told me, it was suggested to me that I not report it.鈥�

Labor leader Jeremy Corbyn ordered an immediate inquiry and praised her 鈥渆normous courage鈥� in speaking out.

Earlier on Wednesday a former parliamentary intern said he was sexually assaulted in 2012 by a former member of parliament, who approached him outside a House of Commons bar.

鈥淪uddenly his arm slipped down towards my buttocks, and he had a good feel round there and went a bit further in between my legs,鈥� James Greenhalgh told the BBC.

He said he tried to report the incident a couple of months later but was told by the member of parliament鈥檚 party that he could not do so anonymously, so he did not take the matter further.聽 /kga