Jason Arday death ‘tragedy on so many levels’ says PM

The death of former Cambridge professor Jason Arday has been called a "tragedy on so many levels" by Prime Minister Lucy Powell. Arday, 41, was found dead in Battersea, south London, on Friday. His family described him as an "amazing father, partner, brother, uncle and son" and said a "campaign of misinformation" had been too much for him.

Arday had resigned from his professorship at Cambridge last week after allegations of plagiarism and questions about some of his achievements. He denied the claims. A friend told the BBC that Arday had described feeling "destroyed" and had been told his authorization to travel to the US had been revoked. The University of Cambridge expressed its "deep sorrow" at the loss of a "kind and gentle soul".

Education Secretary Lucy Powell urged people to remember that "there are real people with loved ones involved" in such tragedies. Lord Paul Boateng, the UK's first black cabinet minister, condemned the racism Arday faced in academia. The National Education Union said Arday had been "subjected to a public and brutal takedown that unleashed a tirade of racism".