Cambridge accused of breaking law by only offering support to black dons
Jump to content Sections UK Edition
Subscribe now Log in Login icon Follow us on: More from The Telegraph Tim Sigsworth News Reporter Show biography !Tim Sigsworth Tim has reported on major news events such as terror attacks and elections. He can be contacted at Published 04 October 2026 4:51pm BST Save This feature is available for registered users. Please register or log in to continue RegisterLog in Comment speech bubble icon 144 Share article Log in or Subscribe Copy link
Gift this article free Gift article Give full access to this article, free time. You have 15 articles left to gift, this month. Log in or Subscribe Copy link
Add us as preferred source Tim Sigsworth News Reporter Show biography !Tim Sigsworth Tim has reported on major news events such as terror attacks and elections. He can be contacted at Published 04 October 2026 4:51pm BST Cambridge dons have accused the university of breaching equality law by denying “support and advice” to academics who are not black. The university contacted all students and staff in August following the death of Jason Arday to inform them that “black members of staff” could contact its “senior black leaders group” for assistance. Academics believe the offer breached the Equality Act by failing to extend help “on the same basis irrespective of race”. One don, who declined to be named for fear it could damage their career, told The Telegraph it was “quite an extraordinary message for senior members of staff to send via the university-wide email system”. The Committee for Academic Freedom (CAF), which campaigns for free speech at universities, has written to Prof Deborah Prentice, the vice-chancellor, to express concerns on the academics’ behalf. Dr Freddie Attenborough, its research director, said: “We think there are questions for the university to answer about what, exactly, was being offered to staff, whether it was being offered or facilitated by reference to race, and what legal basis there was for doing so.” !Jason Arday After the death of Jason Arday an email from Cambridge university offered help for ‘black members of staff’ The university sent the email to all staff and students on Aug 27 on behalf of the senior black leaders group, which consists of five black academics, following the death of Mr Arday. He had resigned as professor of sociology of education at the University of Cambridge earlier that month following accusations of plagiarism. The email – signed by Prof Franklin Aigbirhio, Sonita Alleyne, Prof Dame Ijeoma Uchegbu, Lord Woolley and Prof Toni Williams – told recipients that the group would offer “support and advice” to academics who were black. It read: “Black members of staff are welcome to contact any of the members of the senior black leaders group for support and advice.” CAF told the university in the letter, seen by The Telegraph, that they were “troubled” by “the apparent implication that access to that support and advice was being afforded or facilitated by reference to race”. The campaign group has also expressed concerns that contested ideas including racial equity were presented as fact in the university-wide email. The email said Mr Arday’s death required the university to “strengthen – not retreat from – EDI [equality, diversity and inclusion] efforts” and claimed black academics “have to achieve far more and clear significantly higher hurdles than their peers” to succeed. Zoe Strimpel Cambridge is gorging on social justice foolery, and destroying its reputation Read more The letter from CAF reads: “In part, the academics are concerned about what this signals for those who might wish to question or reject that analysis in institutional debate and decision-making in which those same senior office-holders participate.” One academic said: “Whether intended or not, the message is hardly inclusive. If I question the analysis being advanced, does that mean I might be regarded as part of the ‘hostility’ that black scholars are said to face at a ‘high-profile’ institution like Cambridge? “That’s quite an extraordinary message for senior members of staff to send via the university-wide email system.” Another added: “Senior Cambridge figures have racialised the Arday plagiarism affair throughout, from the moment concerns were first raised through to a signed letter disputing findings of plagiarism. This fosters a racialised frame that defines staff primarily by race, undermining what should be an inclusive and meritocratic environment. “It also suppresses free speech by implying that the institution will call you a racist if you dare to advocate for universal academic standards.” CAF’s letter asks the university to respond to its concerns within 21 days by letter, so that the academics can consider “further steps available to them”. A spokesman for the University of Cambridge said: “We know that our Black community has been deeply affected by the events surrounding the death of Professor Jason Arday and our sharing of a message from the Senior Black Leaders Group offered support and advice. At a similar time, messages were sent to all members of Cambridge, signposting to wellbeing support.” Join the conversation Show 144 comments The Telegraph values your comments but kindly requests all posts are on topic, constructive and respectful. Please review our commenting policy. Copy link
The Telegraph values your comments but kindly requests all posts are on topic, constructive and respectful. Please review our commenting policy. Related Topics University of Cambridge, Freedom of speech, Race
License this content You need to be a subscriber to join the conversation. Find out more here. Log In Subscribe Advertisement More stories University students told to call ethnic minorities ‘the global majority’ !Image of University students told to call ethnic minorities ‘the global majority’ Watch: England fans sing anti-Muslim chant in Prague !Image of Watch: England fans sing anti-Muslim chant in Prague Council accidentally gave away primary school !Image of Council accidentally gave away primary school Chewing tobacco killed 250,000 people in one year, study shows !Image of Chewing tobacco killed 250,000 people in one year, study shows Cambridge is gorging on social justice foolery, and destroying its reputation !Image of Cambridge is gorging on social justice foolery, and destroying its reputation Why snooping on your ex’s finances could be a costly mistake !Image of Why snooping on your ex’s finances could be a costly mistake More from News US formally demands Russia explain plague outbreak !An undated photo shows a lab worker at the Irkutsk Anti-Plague Research Institute of Siberia and the Far East Sandringham GP found bludgeoned and strangled in bedroom, court hears !Dr Hannah Terry was found dead at her home in Norfolk Live Badenoch: Burnham will make every Briton poorer - watch live !Kemi Badenoch delivers her address Germany is sleepwalking into an existential crisis !August Hanning Widdecombe murder suspect tried to break into Farage’s house, court hears !Joshua Kerry * French police to stop firing stun grenades at student protesters !A police officer throws a dispersal grenade during a demonstration by high-school students in Paris on Tuesday
More from The Telegraph BA flight attendant sacked over ‘mile high club’ comments wins £30k !Image of BA flight attendant sacked over ‘mile high club’ comments wins £30k European Left on verge of collapse !Image of European Left on verge of collapse Nightmare on Downing Street: The mega poll that shows a coalition of chaos is coming !Image of Nightmare on Downing Street: The mega poll that shows a coalition of chaos is coming Sacred Mysteries: No bells, no horses for Christians living under Islamic rule !Image of Sacred Mysteries: No bells, no horses for Christians living under Islamic rule Husband and wife ‘stole £5m from leading sixth form college’ !Image of Husband and wife ‘stole £5m from leading sixth form college’ Festival giant takes on more debt after pro-Palestine boycotts !Image of Festival giant takes on more debt after pro-Palestine boycotts