Green Party leader calls for press inquiry after death of Jason Arday

Green Party leader Zack Polanski has called for a public inquiry into the culture and behavior of the press following the death of Jason Arday. Arday, who was Cambridge University’s youngest-ever Black professor, was found dead in Battersea, south London. He had recently resigned from his position due to what he described as unrelenting public scrutiny regarding accusations of plagiarism.

Polanski signed a letter to Andy Burnham demanding the government launch an inquiry to ensure a responsible press, describing the current regulator, the Independent Press Standards Organisation (Ipso), as “toothless”. He also proposed banning foreign ownership of national newspapers to force a sell-off of most major titles.

Green Party members have proposed a motion to reopen the Leveson inquiry to ensure its full completion and to establish a genuinely independent regulator with effective enforcement powers. This proposed regulator would also be tasked with monitoring and addressing instances of racism, ableism, and harassment in news reporting. The motion is expected to be discussed at the party’s conference in October.