- Nathan Cofnas, a self-defined 'race realist' sacked from Cambridge in 2024, claimed he found numerous instances of plagiarism in Jason Arday's work.
- Jason Arday stood down from his Cambridge role amid the plagiarism row.
- Arday was found dead at a south London address.
- Lord Woolley and friends met Arday four days before his death; he described feeling 'hounded' and media coverage as 'a bloodsport'.
- A letter to the prime minister, signed by 30,000 people including Diane Abbott and Jameela Jamil, claims Arday's death followed 'two weeks of relentless harassment'.
- The letter, issued by the Good Law Project, calls for an 'immediate public inquiry' into how to ensure a responsible press.
- Lord Woolley, principal of Homerton College at Cambridge, said Arday had been subjected to a 'vicious witch hunt'.
- Signatories include Green Party leader Zack Polanski, Labour MPs Bell Ribiero-Addy, Clive Lewis and Nadia Whittome, former England footballer Eni Aluko, National Education Union general secretary Daniel Kebede, and broadcaster Carol Vorderman.
- The row began after Nathan Cofnas, a self-defined 'race realist', said he found numerous instances of plagiarism in Arday's work.
- Lord Woolley raised questions about racism in the treatment of Arday.
A letter signed by 30,000 individuals, including prominent figures like Labour MP Diane Abbott and actress Jameela Jamil, has called for an immediate public inquiry into the media's treatment of Jason Arday.
Arday, 41, was found dead in Battersea, south London, following a period of intense media scrutiny.3
He had resigned from his position as a Cambridge professor of sociology of education on August 5 amid allegations of plagiarism.1
The Good Law Project, which represented Arday, stated that many signatories had previously warned media outlets about the aggressive nature of their reporting.6
Lord Woolley, principal of Homerton College at Cambridge, described the media's actions as a "vicious witch hunt".
He noted that Arday felt "hounded" and that the relentless coverage had turned into "a bloodsport".
Arday's death has raised questions about the responsibility of the press.
Liverpool John Moores University, which awarded Arday his PhD in 2015, concluded that he had not plagiarised work, contradicting claims made by Nathan Cofnas, an academic who had previously been dismissed from Cambridge.
Woolley emphasized the need to address issues of racism and differential treatment in the media.10
The letter's signatories, including Green Party leader Zack Polanski and former England footballer Eni Aluko, demand accountability and a reassessment of media practices to prevent similar tragedies in the future.8
“The letter, issued by the Good Law Project, demands an 'immediate public inquiry into how to ensure a responsible press'. Lord Woolley, principal of Homerton College, said Arday felt 'hounded' and described the media coverage as 'a bloodsport', also raising questions about racism in his treatment.”
BBC
