Cambridge chancellor criticises 'racist feeding frenzy' around Jason Arday

Cambridge University's chancellor has criticised the "racist feeding frenzy" around Jason Arday, the professor who died after stepping down during a plagiarism row.

Arday - who became the university's youngest black professor when appointed in 2023 - had faced weeks of media coverage over plagiarism allegations and questions about his achievements. He denied the claims.

Speaking publicly for the first time, Lord Chris Smith said academic integrity could be upheld while questioning Arday's treatment.

Over 30,000 people, including Diane Abbott and Jameela Jamil, have signed a Good Law Project petition seeking an inquiry into coverage of Arday, which says his death followed "two weeks of relentless harassment".

In a statement following the professor's death, 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. "

Cambridge University initially said claims of plagiarism regarding Arday's thesis and some journal publications had been investigated by Liverpool John Moores University (LJMU) and the journals in question.

LJMU - which awarded Arday his PhD in 2015 - concluded that he had not plagiarised work.

But last week, Cambridge announced an independent investigation into his appointment.

Arday, 41, was found dead at an address in Battersea, south London, on Friday. He had resigned as a Cambridge professor of sociology of education on 5 August.

But he stressed that his resignation should not "be mistaken for an acceptance of the narratives that have surrounded me".

Sir James Cleverly said he was angry with the situation, and that this never would have happened if the "people within the university establishment - not just Cambridge - had done the robust due diligence and checking that should happen with any senior academic appointment".

Speaking to the BBC's Today programme on Monday, the shadow housing secretary said he felt Arday was used as "bragging rights by some universities", and that people spoke of his "age and his ethnicity rather than his talent".

"I think it was part of the reason that he was lifted so high so quickly and then when the scrutiny did come - external to the universities - his reputation had so far to fall. I think it was unfair on him and I think it's been a terrible, terrible situation."