No.10 declines to say if PM has full confidence in Fallon

DOWNING Street has refused to say if Theresa May has full confidence in Defence Secretary Sir Michael Fallon but stressed that the Prime Minister thinks it is right that he apologised for touching a journalist’s knee.

Sir Michael will not be investigated by the Cabinet Office for putting his hand on Julia Hartley-Brewer’s knee during a party conference dinner in 2002 and the radio host has said she does not regard it as “anything but mildly amusing”.

The department is separately probing whether international trade minister Mark Garnier breached the ministerial code after he reportedly admitted asking his secretary to buy sex toys and calling her “sugar t**s”.

Mrs May’s official spokesman refused to say whether other ministers were being investigated by the Cabinet Office.

And as an unverified list of sexual misconduct allegations, which includes serving Cabinet and junior ministers, circulated around Westminster, the spokesman told reporters: “The Prime Minister has confidence in her government and her ministers in getting on with the job.”

Asked whether the incident involving Sir Michael would be investigated by the Cabinet Office, the spokesman said: “No. As I said, he apologised and in this instance there isn’t a complainant who has come forward.”

And he refused to confirm or deny whether Sir Michael had offered his resignation.

Parliamentary authorities are drawing up plans to allow victims of sexual harassment to report incidents “without fear”. Commons Speaker John Bercow met senior parliamentary figures on the House of Commons Commission on Monday to plan a way forward as fresh claims of sexually intimidating behaviour emerged.