Johann Hari: George Orwell prize 'stripping' announcement delays amid plagiarism row

The celebrated Left–wing commentator, 32, has been caught up in an internet storm over allegations of plagiarism.

It is claimed that Mr Hari, a multiple award winning political journalist who writes for the Independent, was exposed after a reader noticed that a quote in one of his stories had been cut and pasted from a book.

He denied plagiarism but users of the internet claimed to have found further examples of him allegedly recycling quotes.

The newspaper has suspended him and launched its own investigation amid growing calls that he hand back the George Orwell prize for political journalism he won in 2008.

On Monday, a spokesman for the Council of the Orwell Prize, which is overseen by the Media Standards Trust, said it had "arrived at a clear and unanimous decision" about whether he would keep the prize.

Sources confirmed the council had decided to strip him of the award.

He added that while the newspaper had asked that they consider an appeal from Mr Hari before making the announcement, officials had not been permitted to talk to him.

"In these circumstances, the Council of the Orwell Prize has reluctantly consented to delay any formal announcement as to the status of the 2008 Orwell Prize for Journalism until The Independent has completed its own investigation” he added.

Sources admitted the council were "disappointed" over the decision.

Chris Blackhurst, the new Independent editor, said: "We had hoped the Council of the Orwell Prize would delay reaching their decision about Johann Hari's prize until The Independent had completed its own inquiry - due in less than two months.

“We 're disappointed that the Council appear to have reached a verdict without Johann being able to defend himself fully."

Hari did not respond to requests for comment. The allegations are not connected to the current phone hacking scandal.