The death of former Cambridge professor Jason Arday has prompted an outpouring of anger and sadness after he was found dead at an address in south London.

The former professor , who resigned following a plagiarism row, was found dead at a property in Battersea on Friday afternoon.

Emergency services were called to Daley Thompson Way, in Battersea, where the academic lived, just after 3pm on Friday to reports a man had been found unresponsive inside a property.

The man was pronounced dead at the scene, the Metropolitan Police said.

His death is being treated as unexpected, but is not believed to be suspicious, the force added.

University of Cambridge vice-chancellor Professor Deborah Prentice said: “We are desperately saddened to hear this tragic news.

“Our heartfelt sympathies go to Jason Arday’s family and friends at this incredibly difficult time.”

Mr Arday’s death has prompted an outpouring of anger.

Mayor of London Sir Sadiq Khan, shadow communities secretary Sir James Cleverly and Your Party co-founder Zarah Sultana have reacted to Jason Arday’s death on social media.

Sir James said on X: “The death of Jason Arday is tragic, and makes me so angry.

“Even the most casual observer could see he was a vulnerable fantasist.

“A number of people at a number of academic institutions have serious questions to answer. They put him into positions he was clearly not qualified for so they could have a black wunderkind to show off, they pushed him into the spotlight for their own benefit.

“His exposure was inevitable, a case of when, not if.

“His whole world fell apart.”

Sir Sadiq said Mr Arday’s death was “a tragedy”, adding “it should be a wake up call for all of us”.

Meanwhile, Ms Sultana said: “If Jason Arday were a white middle-class academic, he would not have been hounded by the British press in the way he was.”

Labour deputy leader Lucy Powell said in a statement: “I’m deeply shocked and saddened to hear about the death of Jason Arday. My heartfelt condolences are with his friends and family at this very sad time. I urge people to give them privacy through this incredibly difficult period & to remember there are real people with loved ones involved.”

Damian McBride, adviser to Yvette Cooper, posted a statement, saying: “Everyone said lessons would be learned from Caroline Flack's death. We learn nothing.“

Labour MP for Liverpool Riverside Kim Johnson, said “serious questions need to be answered” over the “relentless media attacks Jason faced”, as she sent her condolences to his family.

Jolyon Maugham KC, founder of the Good Law Project, told Sky News he spoke to Mr Arday “every day or two for the last two weeks”.

He said: “The police have described his death as unexpected, but cannot say that to me, because he has been telling me for some days he thinks his life is over. I have been trying to talk to him and tell him things can get better and he has much valuable work to do and contribute to society and at the same time I have been fielding calls from journalists.”

Prof Arday, a professor of sociology of education who became Cambridge’s youngest black professor in 2023, quit following a series of media reports alleging he plagiarised his PhD thesis – completed at Liverpool John Moores University – and other research.

Further questions were asked in the press about the truth of other claims he made, including saying he ran 600 miles in six days and that he had raised £5.5 million for charity.

An investigation at Liverpool John Moores University cleared Prof Arday of wrongdoing.

Durham and Glasgow universities are investigating the circumstances around Prof Arday’s appointment to academic posts there .

Prof Arday said in his open resignation letter that the “only way to bring this chapter to an end is to step away”.

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