UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham called for "reflection" Saturday after the death of Jason Arday, as the former Cambridge academic's family denounced what they called years of harassment amid plagiarism accusations.
Arday, 41, was found dead Friday, nine days after he quit as a Cambridge University professor and Jesus College fellow following both institutions announcing probes into various allegations, in an affair that sparked racism claims.
In an overnight statement, his family said he had been "subjected to a campaign of sustained abuse for more than three years since he accepted the role of professor at Cambridge University".
They alleged it "was too much for Jason, who was a gentle man and who always wanted to see the best in everyone". Others highlighted the vulnerability of a man who had been diagnosed with autism.
Arday, who became Cambridge's youngest black professor in 2023, had himself claimed to be the target of a "racially motivated" campaign.
Speaking to reporters in southwest England, Burnham said it was "not a moment for any rushing to judgement".
"It's a tragedy on so many levels, but particularly just for everybody who knew Jason," he said. "It's a moment for reflection... reflecting on how things came to this."
The scandal erupted last month after some academics and media reports accused Arday of plagiarising parts of his doctoral thesis and embellishing his life achievements.
The allegations have been seized on by British right-wing newspapers and commentators, who claimed he unfairly benefited from diversity, equality and inclusion (DEI) policies.
But Weyman Bennett, co-convenor of the Stand Up to Racism campaign group, said his death "was the result of a racist witch hunt" by right-wing media, politicians and the far right.
In a letter published when he resigned on August 5, Arday said the move was "the only way" to end a "difficult period", but should not be "mistaken for an acceptance of the narratives that have surrounded me".
A married father-of-two, Arday was discovered unresponsive Friday afternoon at an address in south London, according to the capital's Metropolitan Police, which has not confirmed the identity of the deceased person.
However, within hours Cambridge's top administrator, Vice-Chancellor Deborah Prentice, confirmed his death with a brief statement that said the prestigious British institution was "desperately saddened" by the "tragic news".
In a message Saturday to Cambridge's community, Prentice said she hoped "this painful and difficult time can also be one of compassion".
Police said the death was "being treated as unexpected, but is not believed to be suspicious".
While it is unclear how he died, the force is preparing a file for a coroner, who will make a formal determination on the cause of death at an inquest.
In Cambridge Saturday, several people left flowers and a card bearing Arday's name on the university gates in the city centre. Remembrance vigils are also planned in London on Sunday and Monday evenings.
Simon Baron-Cohen, a Cambridge professor and director of the Autism Research Centre, told BBC radio he spoke to Arday early Friday.
"He was being subjected to relentless scrutiny, including ridicule, discrediting absolutely every detail of his life," Baron-Cohen said.
"He wasn't coping with the loss of his career, the loss of his reputation, and he felt he couldn't go on. He used those words in voice notes."
The furore around Arday grew after Nathan Cofnas, a US academic and self-defined "race realist" -- whose Cambridge research affiliation ended in 2024 amid racism accusations -- published claims in July.
They included that multiple sections of his doctoral dissertation were copied from other works.
The Times, Guardian and Telegraph newspapers have published investigative articles into Arday's academic work and personal life.
Some of his claims about his life, including that he once ran 30 marathons in 35 days and raised millions for charities, were disputed.
Diagnosed with autism, Arday had said he was non-verbal until age 11 and only learnt to read and write at 18, before becoming Cambridge's professor of sociology of education at 37.
In an interview with The Times earlier this month, Arday admitted making academic "mistakes" but said he was being wrongly "portrayed to be a liar and a fantasist".
He said that some errors in his early academic work were because of his autism, as he relied on using mimicry to understand information.
Noting that Arday had been diagnosed in childhood with disabilities that included language delay and learning differences, Baron-Cohen stressed he was "a vulnerable adult... (who) deserved safeguarding and support".
