Cambridge University professor Jason Arday has repeatedly claimed to have authored a book titled 'Being Young, Black and Male: Challenging the Dominant Discourse.' However, it has emerged that the book was never published and was abandoned by its proposed publisher, Palgrave Macmillan, several years ago. The publishers accepted Arday's proposal, but the work never reached the public.
This revelation follows a period of intense scrutiny for Arday and Cambridge University. Allegations of plagiarism surfaced concerning his PhD thesis, which reportedly contained chunks of research from another student's work. Further doubts have been cast on his claims of running 600 miles in six days, raising millions for charity, and appearing in the TV series 'Seven Up,' which first aired two decades before his 1985 birth.
Several universities, including Ohio State University, the University of Glasgow, and Durham University, have distanced themselves from Arday after he claimed to have held academic positions at these institutions. Cambridge University has publicly supported Arday, describing him as a victim of a campaign to undermine his credibility.
The Department for Education has stated that Education Secretary Lucy Powell will not intervene in the matter. However, the situation has drawn attention to Powell's special adviser, Sarah Waite, who appointed Arday as a patron of her charity, Get Further, last year. Get Further provides additional tuition to disadvantaged students. Waite expressed enthusiasm at the time, calling Arday an 'inspiring advocate.'
Critics have questioned the judgment of government advisors in light of Arday's unverified claims. A Reform UK spokesman commented on the perceived lack of basic judgment among senior government advisors. Deputy Conservative Chairman Matt Vickers also raised concerns about Arday's appointment to a charitable role by someone now working at the Department for Education, suggesting Arday has influential connections.
Further entanglement for the Labour Party arose with the revelation that Arday previously stood as a candidate for the party in Croydon in 2018, where he received 953 votes in the Purley and Woodcote ward.
