Another is he was outspoken as an academic (which again, is seen as “left wing”) when the pronouns thing was the flavour of the day

That might be the linchpin. Furthermore, this is why I refuse to take any outcry on "cancel culture" seriously. Being canceled was a net positive for the internet's favorite people. The only person I could think of that got successfully canceled was....Bill Nye. For not screeching that God hates the gay people and the trans people. No one could really handle that.