On Wednesday evening Michael Fallon, the United Kingdom’s Minister for Defence, suddenly resigned from Prime Minister Theresa May’s Cabinet, citing that his behaviour as a politician over the past 15 years had failed to meet the standards now acceptable as Member of the House of Parliament and as a publicly elected representative. For days, a growing scandal over the behaviour of MPs has been swirling at Westminster and Fallon’s resignation represents the highest profile scalp so far claimed in the tawdry affair.
As the leader of a minority government with so much work ahead in organising a Brexit deal with Brussels, May can ill afford any scandal that might undermine its minority status, unsettle Conservative backbenchers or indeed harm its ability to get the best possible deal from the remaining 27 members of the European Union. At least Fallon had the backbone to step down before the UK media feasted on a fare of more lurid sexual improprieties. These past weeks make it seem as if every institution, every person in authority, every personality of a higher standing, is guilty of some sexual misdemeanour that now warrants its addressal in the public forum.
There is no doubting that errors were committed and that women were treated as objects of sexual desire, but the current wave of complaints must be viewed in the mores of today’s social standards, rather than as a panacea indictment of times past. We all have moved on. Given May’s political vulnerabilities, she can least afford any more resignations of a similar status of Fallon. Undoubtedly though there are other high-profile MPs and ministers that are wracking their brains over similar indiscretions.
