Letters: Fallon's follies extend to serious matters of defence policy

Many will be welcoming the resignation of this somewhat pompous man who tended to bombastic exaggeration. Whenever Russian planes flew in international air space close to the country or Russian warships passed by in international waters, Sir Michael would pop up and declare we were being encircled and the Russians were seen off. His features in the media were a regular, at times, comic slot.

The current revelation of misdemeanours within Parliament and the Brexit impasse due to incompetence within No 10, simply indicts further the “ruling elites” in this incorporating Union of 1707. It is not simply the failings of the May Government we need to focus on, but the whole system underpinning the ancient Westminster two-party duopoly. Its Labour mirror image is too no better. Its leader is a Westminster-centrist.

What will tomorrow reveal?

John Edgar,

4 Merrygreen Place, Stewarton.

I FIND it curious that Sir Michael Fallon, the Defence Secretary, in his resignation statement, decided to link his stepping down to the “high standards that we require of the Armed Forces”. This resignation has taken place amid reports that further allegations about Sir Michael could arise in the near future.

Is he really suggesting that his behaviour would have been perfectly acceptable if he had been Chancellor of the Exchequer or Foreign Secretary and that the standards of civil servants with regard to sexual harassment are to be regarded as of a lower quality than those serving in the army, navy, and RAF? The Armed Forces should have been kept well out of this tawdry matter.

Ian W Thomson,

38 Kirkintilloch Road, Lenzie.

OF course sexual harassment and suggestive words or actions are always completely unacceptable in any civilised society, such as we claim to be. Those taking advantage of their senior positions to indulge in such behaviour should certainly be publicly named and shamed, lose their jobs and if appropriate be prosecuted in the courts. Whether in politics, business, or any other sphere, such disgusting activities are almost invariably perpetrated by men, and the victims are women employed by them in more junior positions in the organisation who felt they had to remain silent to protect their jobs and careers.

When these actions are perpetrated by government ministers or senior politicians, they are automatically the subject of front page headlines and the top item on television news. But with every respect to the many who have received such disgusting treatment, do such salacious news stories really justify the blanket media coverage we are seeing at the moment? There are surely many far more important issues to worry about.

The Brexit negotiations with the EU have made almost no progress since Article 50 was triggered in the Spring, the British economy is still very sluggish and showing little sign of real recovery. Individual trade deals around the world will take years to negotiate and will almost certainly be less advantageous.

At home, proper provision for those at the lowest end of the population is still totally inadequate, and indeed is being made worse by the introduction of so-called Universal Credit, which in effect is a devious attempt to reduce the Government’s annual cost of providing for the poorest in society.

The UK itself is still far from being a united nation, with London and the south-east continuing to prosper hugely while many other areas around the country, including Scotland, are making little or no real economic progress. Yet still our huge number of elected politicians spend many hours each day in lengthy and largely pointless debates, while the minority Government continues to go its own way with its inappropriate, heartless and sometimes disastrous policies. Does it have to be this way?

Iain AD Mann,

7 Kelvin Court, Glasgow.

IN the current flurry of alleged personal and sexual assaults I am surprised that the right of redress by complainants is to keep the matter "in house" and await the findings of their own organisation (for example, their fellow parliamentary peers). Surely route one should be reporting directly to the police as soon as possible after the alleged offence. History proves that facts and statements become lost in the mists of time. If police inquiries become becalmed reference to the Police Independent Review Commission (PIRC) would assist. Either way, at least an independent body is charged with the investigation.

The present clamour for internal inquiries of respective institutions will do little for each independent complainant.

Allan C Steele,

22 Forres Avenue, Giffnock.

THE worthwhile efforts of women charging men with inappropriate behaviour has alas, unwelcome consequences. The pat on the back, the consoling touch of the arm, even the affectionate hands on the waist or admiring touch of the hair are likely to disappear. What is natural and normal and even helpful is now perceived by men (and maybe women too) as dangerous. You could be ridiculed in the media, lose your job or a fortune in court. Who is to say how your innocent action will be interpreted? Events have shown that enough people are eager to exploit such situations for money or just notoriety, masquerading as a moral stance.

Addressing one of our Syrians about my having lessons in Arabic, a woman with him (his wife?) said something. I turned round to see who she was speaking to. “She was saying 'hello'”, said he. I realised that she was not allowed to look me in the eye.

Every culture has its own rules of engagement. Ours has just increased the distance between us and reduced the chances of romance and even comfort.

William Scott,

23 Argyle Place, Rothesay.