'People of colour can be held to higher standards': Polanski defends Cambridge professor who quit amid plagiarism row
The Green leader called on the university to conduct a fair investigation
Green leader Zack Polanski has defended the Cambridge professor who resigned over a high-profile plagiarism row and told LBC that "people of colour are held to a higher standard".
Listen to this article
Jason Arday was placed under formal investigation on Wednesday following allegations he plagiarised his PhD thesis and other research.
In a letter to colleagues, published on the Good Law Project website on Wednesday evening, Professor Arday, who taught sociology of education, said the decision had been taken for the wellbeing of himself and his family.
However, an online open letter organised by the Good Law Project in solidarity with Professor Arday has been signed by nearly 16,000 people.
A row has engulfed Mr Arday, a sociology of education professor at Cambridge, over claims he plagiarised parts of his PhD thesis, lied about his academic record and made inflated claims about his sporting achievements and charity work.
Cambridge University has since launched an inquiry into concerns relating to Arday's “academic qualifications and honorary appointments” amid mounting speculation over his record.
The university has since removed a reference to one of his degrees on its staff biography page.
Two other universities where he claimed to be a visiting professor, Glasgow and Ohio State University, have claimed to have no record of employing him.
Arday has denied all the allegations, admitting that while his work contained a series of errors, he is "not a liar".
Read more: Climate change is biggest crisis since WW2, Green leader Zack Polanski insists amid UK heatwave
Read more: Zack Polanski says fossil fuel producers must pay for firefighting helicopters
"People of colour are held to a higher standard.”
— LBC (@LBC) August 5, 2026
As Cambridge professor Jason Arday resigns amid plagiarism accusations, Zack Polanski doubles down on his previous letter of support for the scholar, but says there should be a 'fair investigation'. pic.twitter.com/eiIlEFk8vc
The University of Cambridge said it had launched an inquiry into concerns relating to Professor Arday’s “academic qualifications and honorary appointments”.
Among those signed is Mr Polanski, who defended the academic to LBC's Simon Marks, standing in for Iain Dale on Wednesday.
Mr Polanski said: "I don't know Jason, and the reason why I signed that letter is ultimately it was saying that we should have a fair process, that the University should have a fair investigation, and that this shouldn't be judged by social media.
"I support what Cambridge are doing. I think where there are questions to be asked, and of course people should be investigated.
"I think the whole affair sounds pretty sad. Again, I think it would be good actually if an investigation still was carried out because I think it would be good to know the truth.
"But ultimately I think these things should be about fair process and transparency rather than trial by media."
Asked if he should you have known more about him before he signed the letter, the Green leader said: "No, the letter was about principles and the principles was about the University being able to conduct an investigation if it needed to.
"It had already done, I think, two investigations and found there was no problem here, or that the allegations were unfounded.
"It was about essentially saying that people of colour, particularly in society, can sometimes be held by higher standards."
Professor Arday previously revealed he had faced "an unrelenting level of public scrutiny and personal attack" since taking up the role.
In his resignation letter, he said: "It is with profound sadness that I write to resign, with immediate effect."
He added: "While criticism is an inevitable part of academic life, what I have experienced has gone far beyond scholarly disagreement.
"I no longer wish to feel as though I am living under a constant spotlight, where every aspect of my life is subject to public examination and judgement.
"For my own wellbeing, for my family, and for those who have stood by me throughout this difficult period, I have concluded that the only way to bring this chapter to an end is to step away."
The row erupted after another academic claimed he found numerous instances of plagiarism in Professor Arday's work and questioned some of his stated achievements.
In a previous interview, he admitted being accountable for some mistakes but denied being a "liar" and claimed there had been a "very well orchestrated and co-ordinated campaign to unseat" him.