Baron Archer of Weston-super-Mare

Interviewed by Vincent Abrams

Why did you frst become involved in writing, or what happened on your timeline in life that pushed you to become an author?

When I left Parliament in 1969 and was fascinating bankruptcy, I thought the story of how I lost my money would make an interesting novel, and as I couldn’t get a job, I sat down and wrote ‘Not a Penny More Not A Penny Less’.

What are the Clifton Chronicles about? If you could summarize the series for people who haven’t come across it before.

The Clifton Chronicles are set in Bristol, and open in 1919 just after the First World War has ended.

They follow the lives of Harry Clifton, his closest friends Giles Barrington and his sister Emma, who Harry falls in love with. The story follows their lives over the next 80 years, taking in the great events of the day with several well-known fgures having walk on parts.

I know you sometimes act as an auctioneer for British Polo Day, are you a polo fan? And if so, what draws you to the sport.

I regularly auctioneer for charity, in fact I would describe it as my hobby. And British Polo Day was supporting a very worthwhile cause - which I was happy to help them with.

You have sold over 270 million copies of your books over the years, is that amount of success something you think you were prepared for?

I’m always surprised by how many people have purchased my books, and confess that when a new book comes out, it feels like starting again.

What is your favourite piece of art – or the one piece you would love to have on your wall or at home?

I’m not sure I have one single favourite piece of art, but Rembrandt’s The Man with the Golden Helmet in the Berlin museum and The Entombment of Christ by Caravaggio in the Vatican.

Did you have any authors and or political role models growing up?

I’ve always been a great admirer of John Buchan, so I suspect he infuenced me, as he was as fascinated by politics as he was by writing. It’s interesting that we are both storytellers not writers.

What do you get up to in your spare time?

My hobby is being a charity auctioneer, and I conduct around 30 a year, but I also enjoy the theatre, the ballet and visiting art galleries, and of course I love watching England and Somerset play cricket.

How important is philanthropy to you? If at all, and are you involved with any charities or foundations?

I support a wide range of causes, and also conduct around 30 charity auctions a year, but if I have a favourite, it’s between two incredible charities, the Make-A-Wish Foundation who grant magical wishes to enrich the lives of children with life-threatening illnesses, and Sir Magdi Yacoub’s Chain of Hope which links experts together around the world to bring life-saving heart treatments to children in developing and war- torn countries.

What is your favourite restaurant? And what type of food do you like.

I confess to a passion for Italian food, and in particular pasta. My favourite restaurant is Lucio’s in the Fulham Road.

What was your frst book, ‘’Not a Penny More, not a Penny Less’’, about?

It’s semi-autobiographical, and is the story of four young men who having all been robbed by one particularly evil character, and decide to come together and steal their money back, but they decide they must not take back more than what he took from them – not a penny more, not a penny less.

What prompted you to write ‘Kane and Abel’...? And would you describe yourself as a religious person. I was inspired by two Americans who came from different ends of the social scale, but ended up as close friends, whereas in my book although William Kane and Abel Rosnovski meet only once, they are sworn enemies un l their dying day.

Why did you choose the Conservative Party over the others when you got involved in politics?

And how have things changed for better or worse for the party (do you think) over the years?

I think I am a conservative by nature. My mother was a Conservative councillor in Weston-Super-Mare, and as I believe so strongly in free enterprise and the right for anyone to achieve what they set out to do, I wasn’t a natural for the Labour Party.

I think the Conservatives are lucky to have another woman leading them, especially when the Labour Party is in disarray.

About Lord Archer Before becoming an author, Archer was a Member of Parliament (1969–1974), but did not seek re-election after a fnancial scandal that left him almost bankrupt. He revived his fortunes as a best-selling novelist; his books have sold around 330 million copies worldwide.

Archer became deputy chairman of the Conservative Party (1985–1986) before resigning after a newspaper accused him of paying money to a prostitute. In 1987 he won a court case and was awarded large damages because of this claim.

He was made a life peer in 1992 and subsequently became Conservative candidate to be the frst elected Mayor of London. He had to resign his candidacy in 1999 after it emerged that he had lied in his 1987 libel case.

Archer has said that he spends considerable time writing and re-writing each book.

He goes abroad to write the frst draft, working in blocks of two hours at a time, then writes anything up to 17 drafts in total. Since 2010, Archer has written the frst draft of each new book at his luxury villa in Majorca, called “Writer’s Block”.