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Cambridge Drops Full Investigation Into Jason Arday Hiring

By Drooid · Sep 25, 2026, 11:18 PM UTC · How we work

Summary

Story summary

University of Cambridge has dropped its full investigation into hiring Professor Jason Arday.
The review will assess whether Cambridge provided Arday adequate support amid plagiarism claims.
Former prosecutor Nazir Afzal heads the first part, focusing on Arday’s welfare.
Arday resigned on Aug. 5.
He died by suicide nine days later in London after harassment.

History

Historical Context

In May 2003 the BBC reported that the government had “sexed up” the Iraq weapons dossier, citing Dr. David Kelly, a MoD weapons expert, as its source. After Kelly’s suicide on 17 July 2003, the Hutton Inquiry heard testimony from 74 witnesses over 22 days and cleared the government while condemning the BBC. The episode sparked debate over media-government accountability and the pressures faced by public scholars.

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Story summary

University of Cambridge has dropped its full investigation into hiring Professor Jason Arday.
The review will assess whether Cambridge provided Arday adequate support amid plagiarism claims.
Former prosecutor Nazir Afzal heads the first part, focusing on Arday’s welfare.
Arday resigned on Aug. 5.
He died by suicide nine days later in London after harassment.

1 / 2