Lord Jeffrey Archer dies

Lord Jeffrey Archer has died aged 86.

The best-selling author and politician died "suddenly and peacefully" at home, his publisher HarperCollins said.

Lord Archer was a Conservative MP for five years before serving as the party's deputy chairman. He enjoyed a successful career as a novelist - selling more than 300 million copies worldwide - and was made a life peer in 1992.

He had been a ‌senior party official under Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher in the mid-1980s, however, his political career was paused in 2001 after being imprisoned for perjury and perverting the course of justice.

A jury found he had lied in a libel action he had brought against The Star newspaper in 1988, in which he was awarded £500,000 in damages. He was released from prison in 2003, returning to the House of Lords until his retirement in 2024.

Lord Archer's final novel, Adam ‌and Eve, is due to be published later this month.

Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch said Lord Archer's death had come as "a huge shock", and that she was "incredibly saddened to hear this news".

Ms Badenoch added: "He had sent me a lovely message just this [Monday] morning and was always a great source of encouragement to me personally. I can't believe he's gone."

HarperCollins said Lord Archer had attended an event with fans in London on Sunday.

Broadcaster Gyles Brandeth, who was also at the event, wrote in a social media post: "Just yesterday I did a show with Jeffrey Archer to celebrate his new novel - he said it was to be his last.

"He was in the most wonderful, ebullient form and had such a great reception from a packed house. He was funny, engaging and self-deprecating - a great storyteller to the last."

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Former Tory minister Nadhim Zahawi also paid tribute to Lord Archer, describing him as "an extraordinary human being".

Mr Zahawi added: "His gift for storytelling was matched by his wit, warmth and boundless energy. Life was never dull in Jeffrey's company."

Kate Elton, Lord Archer's editor and HarperCollins UK chief executive, said that working with him had been "one of the great privileges of my publishing life".

Ms Elton added: "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."

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