PM refuses to say if she backs ‘sorry’ Sir Michael

PRIME Minister Theresa May has refused to say if she retains full confidence in Defence Secretary Sir Michael Fallon, but she thinks it right he apologised for touching a journalist’s knee.

Sir Michael will not be investigated by the Cabinet Office for putting his hand on columnist Julia Hartley-Brewer’s knee at 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 tits”.

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

As an unverified list of sexual misconduct allegations, which includes Cabinet ministers, circulated around Westminster, the spokesman told reporters: “The Prime Minister has confidence in her Government and 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.”

He refused to confirm or deny whether Sir Michael had offered his resignation, saying: “I’m not getting into running commentary, speculation.”