Prime Minister Andy Burnham Calls Jason Arday's Death a Tragedy

British Prime Minister Andy Burnham described the death of former University of Cambridge professor Jason Arday as a tragedy on so many levels and a moment for reflection. Arday, 41, was found unresponsive Friday afternoon at a south London address. The Metropolitan Police are treating the death as unexpected but not suspicious.

Arday, the university's youngest-ever Black professor, resigned on August 5 after the University of Cambridge and Jesus College launched probes into allegations that he plagiarized his doctoral thesis and embellished personal achievements. While Arday admitted to academic mistakes, he denied being a fraud. Simon Baron-Cohen of the University of Cambridge stated that Arday, who was diagnosed with autism, was unable to cope with the loss of his career and reputation under relentless scrutiny.

The death has sparked significant controversy. Arday's family, supporters, and London Mayor Sadiq Khan allege he was the victim of a racially motivated campaign of harassment and pernicious public shaming. Media watchdog NewsCord reported that at least 188 articles were published about Arday over nine days, resulting in tens of thousands of complaints to the regulatory body IPSO. Conversely, critics and former home secretary James Cleverly suggested academic institutions failed by appointing Arday to a role for which he was unqualified.

In response to the events, Vice-Chancellor Deborah Prentice issued condolences and announced that the University of Cambridge will conduct a review of its senior staff hiring processes.