The View | Weinstein’s ousting puts workplace sexual harassment under the spotlight, but no magic solution exists

Harvey Weinstein has now been fired from the film company that bears his name as a consequence of claims, now partially admitted, that he sexually harassed women throughout the course of his work.

Few right-minded people will mourn his departure, much as they are unlikely to have lost much sleep over Fox firing the late Roger Ailes when similar accusations of harassment led to his departure as head of Fox News.

Among the many, many objectionable aspects of the Weinstein affair is his rambling apology and confession after his actions came to light.

Weinstein said: “I came of age in the 60s and 70s when all the rules about behaviour and workplaces were different. That was the culture then.”

Aside from the fact that this is one of the worst forms of justification, implying that the problem is simply a matter of changed social mores, Weinstein’s statement is an outright lie. As I am nearer to his age than that of his victims and because my early career was spent working in media companies, I can testify that even in the 1970s, when I started work, sexual harassment was not acceptable and only the sleaziest people would dream of justifying it.