31 Thousand Britons Call for Probe into Cambridge Professor's Death

Over 31,000 individuals, including members of Parliament, have signed a petition addressed to Prime Minister Andy Bournemouth demanding a formal inquiry into the media harassment that preceded the suicide of former Cambridge academic Jason Ardai.

Petition details

The petition was launched by the Good Law Project after Ardai was found dead on Friday. The group states that press harassment based on his skin colour was the direct cause of his death, describing racism as central to the story.

Ardai, appointed three years ago as the youngest Black professor in Cambridge's history, resigned from the university and his role at “Jesus College” in August following two investigations into alleged plagiarism and exaggerated biographical claims.

Background

In July, former Cambridge academic Nathan Covanas, dismissed in 2024, alleged instances of plagiarism in Ardai’s work, sparking extensive media coverage by British outlets and right‑wing circles that portrayed him as an unfair beneficiary of diversity policies.

Ardai denied the accusations and wrote in his resignation letter on August 5 that leaving his post was “the only way to end a difficult period”. Police later said the death was not treated as suspicious, while his family and friends described a “continuous campaign of abuse”.

Context

Simon Wally, Ardai’s former supervisor at Cambridge, noted the professor’s severe mental distress, stating he felt “haunted to death” and had lost half his normal weight.

The Good Law Project warns that ongoing media pressure could drive victims to suicide, as a memorial vigil is scheduled for Trafalgar Square in London on Monday evening.

The case revives debate on press freedom, institutional racism, and the wellbeing of scholars in tense academic environments.