Jeffrey Archer, the bestselling novelist and former Conservative politician, has died aged 86. Lord Archer of Weston-super-Mare was also a one-time athlete and a convicted liar.
His career was marked by numerous allegations, including lies, thefts, frauds, and expenses fiddles. In September 2000, he was charged with perjury for persuading a friend to lie during a 1987 libel action against the Daily Star newspaper. He was subsequently jailed at the Old Bailey in July 2001 for this crime.
Born in London, Archer moved to Weston-super-Mare, Somerset, as an infant. He was the third child of Lola and William Archer. His father, a convicted fraudster and bigamist, died when Archer was 15.
Archer attended Wellington school in Somerset and later studied for a teaching qualification at Brasenose College, Oxford. He also ran for Britain as an athlete.