Cambridge chancellor criticises 'racist feeding frenzy' around Jason Arday

Cambridge University's chancellor has criticised the "racist feeding frenzy" around Jason Arday, the professor who died after stepping down during a plagiarism row. Arday - who became the university's youngest black professor when appointed in 2023 - had faced weeks of media coverage over plagiarism allegations and questions about his achievements. He denied the claims. Speaking publicly for the first time, Lord Chris Smith said academic integrity could be upheld while questioning Arday's treatment. Thousands gathered on Monday for a vigil organised by Stand Up To Racism in Trafalgar Square, where Labour MP Diane Abbott said Arday had been subject to a "vicious and bitter media campaign". She said attacks by "people who didn't believe a black man should be a Cambridge professor" started as soon as he was appointed by the university in 2023. "This was a campaign against all of us," she added. It comes after more than 90,000 people - including Abbott and Jameela Jamil - signed a Good Law Project petition seeking an inquiry into media coverage of Arday. That petition says his death followed "two weeks of relentless harassment". In a statement following the professor's death, Lord Smit