British PM calls academic Arday’s death a ‘tragedy on so many levels’

LONDON - British Prime Minister Andy Burnham said on Aug 15 the death of black academic Jason Arday, who resigned from Cambridge University amid a plagiarism scandal that sparked racism claims, was “a tragedy on so many levels”.

Arday, 41, was found dead on Aug 14, just over a week after he quit his positions as university professor and Jesus College fellow following both institutions announcing probes into various accusations against him.

In an overnight statement, his family criticised what they called a “campaign of harassment” that followed the allegations about his academic work and personal life, while Arday himself had said that campaign was “racially motivated”.

Speaking to reporters while on a visit to south-west England, Burnham said it was “not a moment for any rushing to judgement”.

“It’s a tragedy on so many levels, but particularly just for everybody who knew Jason, his family obviously, his friends – we think of them today,” the British leader said.

“It’s a moment for reflection, I would say, reflecting on how things came to this,” he added.

The scandal erupted after some academics and media reports accused Arday, who became Cambridge’s youngest black professor in 2023, of plagiarising parts of his doctoral thesis.

The allegations have been seized on by British right-wing newspapers and commentators, who claim that he unfairly benefited from diversity, equality and inclusion (DEI) policies.

In a letter posted online when he resigned Aug 5, Arday said it was “the only way” to end a “difficult period”, but it should not be “mistaken for an acceptance of the narratives that have surrounded me”.

Arday was discovered unresponsive on the afternoon of Aug 14 at an address in south London, according to the capital’s Metropolitan Police Service, which has not confirmed the identity of the deceased person.

However, within hours Cambridge University’s top administrator, Vice-Chancellor Deborah Prentice, confirmed his death with a brief statement that said the prestigious British institution was “desperately saddened” by the “tragic news”.

Police have said the death was “being treated as unexpected, but is not believed to be suspicious”.

The London force noted a file will be prepared for a coroner, who will make a formal determination on the cause of death. AFP