Jeffrey Archer, novelist and former Conservative MP, dies aged 86
Jeffrey Archer, novelist and former Conservative MP, dies aged 86
Ellie Crabbe Mon, October 5, 2026 at 8:47 PM UTC
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The author and former politician Jeffrey Archer has died at the age of 86, his publisher has said.
Harper Collins said he died "suddenly and peacefully at his home between writing sessions" on Monday. He spent five years as a Conservative MP prior to serving as the party’s deputy chairman.
Alongside politics, he built a successful career as a novelist and became a life peer in 1992.
His political career stalled in 2001 when he was imprisoned for four years for perjury and perverting the course of justice.
An Old Bailey jury ruled he had lied during a libel suit against The Star newspaper 13 years prior, where he had been awarded £500,000 in damages.
Alongside politics, he built a successful career as a novelist and became a life peer in 1992 (PA)
Following an early release in 2003, he rejoined the House of Lords until retiring in 2024.
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Kate Elton, Harper Collins UK chief executive and Archer’s editor, said: “It has been one of the great privileges of my publishing life to have been Jeffrey Archer’s editor.
“He was the master storyteller and an editor’s dream – phenomenally hard-working, utterly committed to completing draft after draft to get every word as perfect as possible, and a true champion of the ‘team’ nature of great publishing.”
Former Conservative chancellor and current Reform UK MP for Stratford-on-Avon Nadhim Zahawi posted a tribute to Lord Jeffrey Archer on X.
He wrote: “Jeffrey Archer was a dear friend and an extraordinary human being. His gift for storytelling was matched by his wit, warmth and boundless energy. Life was never dull in Jeffrey’s company. As a charity auctioneer, he was a force of nature: commanding a room, making people laugh and persuading them to dig deeper.
“He used that remarkable talent to raise millions for charitable causes, leaving a legacy of generosity that reaches far beyond his books. Behind the celebrated author was a man with an enormous heart, fiercely loyal to his friends and generous with his time.
“My love and deepest condolences go to Mary and the whole family. Jeffrey, it was a privilege to call you my friend. You were one of a kind. May you rest in eternal peace.”
More to follow...
Source: “AOL Entertainment”
