Cambridge University's chancellor has condemned what he called a 'racist feeding frenzy' around former professor Jason Arday, who was found dead at the age of 41 amid a plagiarism row.
The 41-year-old was discovered at his flat in Battersea, South West London on Friday, two weeks after an intense social media storm erupted over allegations he copied sections of academic work and invented elements of his life story. He denied the claims.
Family and Prime Minister react
Prime Minister Andy Burnham described his death as a "moment for reflection", while Arday's family said they were "in shock to have lost this amazing father, partner, brother, uncle and son".
Arday became Cambridge's youngest black professor in 2023. Lord Chris Smith, the university's chancellor, said much of the rhetoric surrounding the academic row had been "racist".
Investigation and resignation
An independent investigation by the university into the plagiarism allegations was launched last week, prior to his death. Arday had resigned as a Cambridge professor of sociology of education on August 5.
Lord Smith said: "I do believe it is possible to hold to two principles at the same time: to believe in the importance of academic integrity, and where criticisms of plagiarism arise, about any academic, whoever they are, ensure that they are rigorously investigated. And also to refuse to join in a racist feeding frenzy over a particular academic."
Allegations and response
A series of media reports alleged Arday plagiarised his PhD thesis, completed at Liverpool John Moores University, and other research. Liverpool John Moores University, which awarded his PhD in 2015, found he had not plagiarised work. Arday admitted he was accountable for errors in his work, but told The Times: "What I am not is a liar."
Further questions were asked in the press about other claims he made, including saying he ran 600 miles in six days and that he had raised more than £5million for charity. The row erupted after academic Nathan Cofnas, sacked from his Cambridge role in 2024, said he found numerous instances of plagiarism in the professor's work. Arday said some errors in his early academic work arose due to his autism, as he relied on mimicry to make sense of information.
Fundraiser and vigil
A fundraiser for Arday's family, set up by Windrush campaigner Sir Patrick Vernon, has raised more than £150,000. Sir Patrick said: "Britain still cares – people, black, white, brown, care and feel angry about the situation. People want to support the family."
"There's lots of speculation about how much money Jason has or doesn't have, that's not the point. The fact is, people want to support the family because he's dead, he's died, and he has a young family. He has parents and he has a family that he has supported, and people want to support the family."
A separately organised vigil for Arday will take place in Trafalgar Square at 6pm this evening. No decision will be made on whether a public inquiry will be held into the Arday case until after his inquest, the government has said.
A Number 10 spokeswoman said: "I would just reiterate the PM's point that this is a moment for reflection, and we should not lose sight of the people at the heart of this, who are Jason's family and loved ones."
"But what I would say is that obviously in due course the usual processes will take place, so that could involve, for example, an inquest. So it would be right for us to let those processes conclude."
