Professor Arday case proves just how much ruling class are in thrall to DEI… it’s time we dumped this toxic ideology

JUST for a moment, imagine someone approached you in the pub this weekend and told you they’d once played football semi-professionally. Big deal, you’d most likely think. The fantastical case of Professor Jason Arday will doubtless have provided ­people with much amusement this week Credit: X The fact so many supposedly high-minded individuals were taken in by Arday’s tall tales reveals something rather alarming about the establishment Credit: BBC Anyone who’s ever laced a pair of boots these days claims to have had a trial at some time or other. Ah, but had any of them simultaneously taken up snooker and won serious cash in tournaments all over London? Sign up for The Sun newsletter Thank you! Well, that is impressive, I suppose. Not just that, but this extraordinary-sounding fellow would also claim to have run 30 marathons in 35 days (partly with a broken leg, no less!) — a feat even the most elite long-distance ­runners would struggle to emulate. READ MORE ON THE PROFESSOR On top of that, he just so happened to be a highly decorated scholar at one of the world’s most elite ­universities, ­published multiple times and garlanded by leading academics the world over. Come off it, you’d think — now you’re being silly. Oh, and to top it all, he grew up disabled and only learned to actually speak when he was 11 years old. At this point of the conversation, most sane people would politely return to their pint and dismiss their fellow ­tippler as a Walter Mitty figure whose tall tales were possibly lifted from the pages of Boy’s Own. And yet, incredibly, the supposedly learned dons of Cambridge University swallowed every word this man said — hook, line and sinker. Most read in The Sun The fantastical case of Professor Jason Arday will doubtless have provided ­people with much amusement this week. But beyond the laughs, the fact so many supposedly high-minded individuals were taken in by Arday’s tall tales reveals something rather alarming about the establishment which quietly rule us. Even the most basic research conducted by the Press in recent weeks revealed gaping inconsistencies in his supposed life story. Not just his dubious claims of sporting achievement but, more ­importantly, the fact significant parts of his research appear to have been ­plagiarised. Cambridge seemingly failed to carry out even the most basic of checks Credit: Getty It makes me shudder to think how many talented academics were passed over in favour of Arday Credit: Shutterstock But Cambridge seemingly failed to carry out even the most basic of checks. Or, at least, they chose not to. It’s impossible to get away from the sense the bigwigs there simply couldn’t wait to announce Arday as the ­University’s youngest ever black professor. Because the truth is, whether it’s the BBC, the NHS or even the police, our public bodies are nowadays in thrall to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. It has become the central religion of the ruling class, so much so that ­credentials play second fiddle to ­identity. People are now promoted, protected or celebrated not primarily for what they can do, but for what they represent. Even questioning it can see you branded a pariah. I’m sorry, but this is deeply unfair. Even worse, it is incredibly patronising to the very people it claims to help. It makes me shudder to think how many talented academics were passed over in favour of Arday by those ­desperate to parade their diversity credentials. Worst of all are the hugely talented academics from minority backgrounds whose entirely bona fide credentials could now be looked upon with ­suspicion because of this man’s duplicity. Britain became great by valuing excellence, hard work and individual achievement. I say it’s time we dumped this toxic DEI ideology and got back to ­judging everyone on merit. Comment now