Jason Arday death puts UK press under scrutiny

British media coverage of plagiarism allegations against Cambridge academic Jason Arday is under scrutiny after his death at age 41, with supporters accusing newspapers of hounding him and the media watchdog reviewing complaints.

Arday, appointed in 2023 as Cambridge University’s youngest-ever Black professor, was found dead on Friday after weeks of intense media coverage. He resigned on August 5, writing that he had “reached the limits of what any person should reasonably be expected to endure”.

His family, friends and supporters have denounced what they called a sustained campaign of abuse. At a Monday vigil in central London, banners referred to “249 articles in 22 days”. MP Diane Abbott told the vigil that she believed “the vicious media campaign drove him to his death”.

Some journalists and newspapers have defended investigating the allegations. Times journalist Sarah Ditum wrote that she did not regret her coverage and said she would have been failing to do her job if she had not investigated the claims. The Guardian said in an editorial that its reporters sought to establish what was true and that responsible journalists were now facing abuse.

Media watchdog IPSO said it was reviewing a flood of complaints about the coverage and would take appropriate steps if any breaches of the Editor’s Code of Practice were found. The code includes protections relating to privacy and harassment, including cases involving personal grief and shock.

By Wednesday, more than 111,000 people had signed a Good Law Project petition calling for a public inquiry to ensure a responsible press.