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Calls for public inquiry into Jason Arday media 'witchhunt'
BBC • • general
Key Points:
- Public figures and friends of Jason Arday have called for a public inquiry into media coverage following his death, citing "two weeks of relentless harassment" as a contributing factor.
- A letter signed by 30,000 people, including Labour MP Diane Abbott and actress Jameela Jamil, urges the prime minister to investigate the media's treatment of Arday, who resigned from Cambridge amid plagiarism allegations he denied.
- Arday, a black professor of sociology of education, was found dead in London shortly after stepping down due to accusations raised by another academic known for controversial views on race and meritocracy.
- Supporters and colleagues, including Lord Woolley and Diane Abbott, highlighted the disproportionate media scrutiny Arday faced compared to others accused of plagiarism, raising concerns about racial bias in academia and media coverage.
- Cambridge University stated Arday received mental health support during his tenure and emphasized the significance of his role as one of the few black professors in UK academia, where only about 1% of professors are black.
