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Jeffrey Archer obituary: Novelist, politician and convicted perjurer dies at 86
Overview
Jeffrey Archer, the best-selling author, former Conservative politician, and peer, has died at the age of 86. Known for his immense drive, vast wealth, and colourful life, Archer's career was marked by major successes as a novelist alongside severe self-inflicted controversies, including a 2001 conviction for perjury and perverting the course of justice that resulted in a four-year prison sentence.
Key points
- Jeffrey Archer died at the age of 86, having led a turbulent life as a politician, best-selling author, and convicted perjurer.
- He entered parliament as a Conservative MP in 1969, but was forced to quit in 1974 after facing bankruptcy following a disastrous financial investment.
- He achieved massive literary success with best-selling novels such as Not a Penny More, Not a Penny Less, Kane and Abel, and First Among Equals.
- In 1986, he successfully sued the Daily Star for libel over allegations regarding a sex worker, aided by testimony from his wife Mary Archer, but was later exposed for lying.
- He was awarded a peerage in 1992 and later selected as the Conservative candidate for Mayor of London in 1999, before resigning due to fresh scandal.
- In 2001, Archer was convicted of perjury and perverting the course of justice relating to his 1987 libel trial, serving two years of a four-year prison sentence.
- He remained a member of the House of Lords until his formal retirement in 2024 and continued writing novels into his mid-80s.