British Prime Minister Theresa May on Thursday named Gavin Williamson as new defence secretary after his predecessor Michael Fallon was forced to step down over a sexual harassment scandal sweeping parliament. Britain, a member of the Nato military alliance, spends two percent of its gross domestic product (GDP) on defence but the armed forces are facing constant pressure to cut costs. Fallon announced his resignation late Wednesday, the first casualty of a deepening scandal over sexual harassment at Westminster. “I accept that in the past I have fallen below the high standards that we require of the Armed Forces that I have the honour to represent,” Fallon said. The 41-year-old has had no previous experience of Britain’s armed forces, according to his online profile.

Source: Dhaka Tribune November 02, 2017 11:26 UTC