Mr Polanski has since signed a letter to Andy Burnham calling for an inquiry into how to “ensure a responsible press” following the tragedy.
The London Assembly member has also urged the Government to ban foreign ownership of national newspapers and branded the Independent Press Standards Organisation (Ipso) a “toothless” organisation.
His remarks come as members of his own party call on ministers to ensure the “full completion” of the Leveson inquiry and place the British press under a “genuinely independent and recognised regulator with effective enforcement powers”.
Green Party members have also tabled a motion calling for the proposed new regulator to monitor “harassment” they claim comes from news stories, as well as “map and address” instances of racism and ableism.
Following Mr Arday’s death, Mr Polanski said the academic was “subject of sustained and malicious media attacks which were no doubt more vicious because he was black”.
He added: “We must now reflect on the impact of a trial by some of the media and online on someone under extreme pressure.”
Mr Polanski has since signed a letter to Andy Burnham calling for an inquiry into how to ‘ensure a responsible press’
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Mr Arday became the University of Cambridge’s youngest ever black professor when he took up the role in March 2023.
He stepped down as professor of sociology of education at the university on August 4, amid accusations of plagiarism.
Cambridge announced last week that it was launching an investigation into Mr Arday’s appointment, as well as his tenure at the university.
He resigned within hours of the university announcing the investigation, pointing to an “unrelenting level of public scrutiny”.
