UK PM Burnham reacts to death of former Cambridge professor

UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham has said the death of a high-profile Black academic accused of plagiarism and falsifying his achievements should serve as a “moment of reflection”.

Speaking to reporters on Saturday, Burnham said Jason Arday’s death was “a tragedy on so many levels”.

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Arday, 41, was found dead at an address in south London on Friday following intense public and media scrutiny of his academic achievements, including his status as Cambridge University’s youngest-ever Black professor.

Police described his death as “unexpected” but not suspicious.

“It’s not a moment for any rushing to judgment. It’s a moment for reflection, I would say, reflecting on how things came to this,” Burnham said.

Arday’s death has sparked outrage among certain sections of British society, who argue that his treatment by the media was fuelled by racism.

Several activists, journalists and academics have accused Cambridge University of failing in its duty of care to Arday, who resigned from his prestigious post on August 5.

Media outlets, particularly newspapers, have also come under intense scrutiny, with public figures accusing the press of dedicating a disproportionate amount of coverage to the scandal, while far-right figures have been accused of weaponising the affair.

The vice-chancellor of world-leading Cambridge University said in a statement on Saturday that Arday’s death was “tragic”.

“My thoughts and deepest condolences are with Jason’s family and loved ones who, as they said last night, have lost a father, partner, brother, uncle and son,” Vice-Chancellor and professor Deborah Prentice said.

“My immediate thoughts are also with colleagues and students who worked with Jason in the Faculty of Education, and at Jesus College where he was a Fellow.”

Analysis by media watchdog NewsCord found that at least 188 articles about Arday had been published over nine days. The organisation said tens of thousands of complaints about his treatment by the press had been filed with the regulatory body IPSO.

“Jason Arday was clearly suffering from mental illness; the appropriate response was compassion. Instead, he was hounded to his grave – it would hardly be hyperbole to describe it as a lynching,” Gareth Dale from Brunel University in west London told Al Jazeera,

“The perpetrators were far-right activists and racist media organisations. They were seeking to push back against social gains made by anti-racists. Arday may have plagiarised, but no more than many a white professor; the spotlight should be laser-focused on why the discrepancy between his case and theirs, and on why the media engaged in a pile-on, instead of investigating the far-right activists who were creating a lynch-mob atmosphere.”

Arday’s academic record and achievements first came under scrutiny last month, with news outlets accusing him of plagiarising his doctoral thesis and falsifying several achievements. Arday was also accused of lying about his childhood struggles.

Reporting originally appeared via Al Jazeera. Read the full source for additional context.