No exceptions should be made for politicians accused of harassment

SIR – Richard Bundy (Letters, October 31) says that the standards now being applied to MPS, amid allegations of harassment at Westminster, “would rule out all the big beasts of British politics from Walpole onwards”.

Harassment and bullying are simply wrong. To excuse this behaviour in politics because prominent politicians have been guilty of it in the past is not acceptable. William Cook

Blandford, Dorset

SIR – Not so long ago, the House of Commons had virtually no standards at all, and was protected by friends in high places. Cyril Smith (Liberal) and Bob Boothby (Conservative) remain examples that beggar belief. Some of their activities were known to take place in Westminster.

Times are changing. It may now be that the pendulum is swinging towards better standards. Let us hope that the consequences are sensible. Angus Bainbrigge

Crediton, Devon SIR – Julia Hartley-brewer, who accepted an apology from Sir Michael Fallon after he touched her knee at a dinner (report, October 31), has injected some common sense into the hysteria over harassment in Westminster.

There needs to be a greater sense of proportion over what is genuinely unacceptable behaviour and what isn’t. To equate flirting with much more serious allegations of rape or sexual assault is doing a great disservice to the victims of those heinous offences.

Miss Hartley-brewer’s attitude is refreshingly realistic, and provides a clear lesson on how to deal with unwanted approaches. David Kidd

Petersfield, Hampshire

SIR – Those who consider that they have been subjected to sexual harassment have an immediate remedy under the Sexual Offences Act 2003 and may report the incident to the police. It is not the remit of Parliament to investigate and determine whether any incident is “inappropriate” or an offence under the Sexual Offences Act.

Rather, it is the remit of Parliament to change the existing legislation to cover any lacuna by an amending Act of Parliament. John Orchard

Honington, Suffolk

SIR – Revalidation for doctors was introduced in 2012. Its aim was to give them “a clear framework to reflect on and improve their quality of care as well as ensuring that a doctor’s practice is systematically reviewed”.

Doctors undergo enhanced appraisal every year as part of the revalidation process. Our MPS would surely welcome this type of approach to reassure the voting public that they are fit to practise.

After all, if they haven’t done anything wrong, they will have nothing to worry about. Jeremy Latham

Winchester, Hampshire