Jeffrey Archer in pictures: Prolific author, parliamentarian and prisoner

Jeffrey Archer was one of the most colourful personalities of British politics and publishing.

He sold millions of books in a five-decade writing career, was a Conservative MP and member of the House of Lords, London mayoral candidate and – after being jailed for perjury in 2001 – campaigned for prison reform.

His final book, Adam and Eve, is due to be released this week and Lord Archer spent the weekend promoting it, including signing copies in London.

Jeffrey Archer (far right) with the Beatles and newspaper editor Nicholas Lloyd in 1963 promoting an Oxfam collection (PA)

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Jeffrey Archer attended Brasenose College, Oxford, and earned a blue in athletics (PA)

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A kiss for his wife Mary after winning the 1969 Louth by-election for the Conservatives (PA)

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Lord Archer meets Bess the horse in Bristol in 1987 (PA)

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Jeffrey Archer and his wife Mary leaving the High Court, in London, in 1987 after winning record damages at the time of £500,000 for the libel action against The Star Newspaper which alleged that he had slept with a prostitute (PA)

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With, from left, Ned Sherrin, Prunella Scales and Ian McKellen, ahead of an Aids charity fundraiser at his Playhouse Theatre in London in 1988 (PA)

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Enjoying a cricket match with then-prime minister John Major at Lord’s in 1994 (PA)

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Helping Dame Edna Everage promote her West End show in his penthouse in 1998 (PA)

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Lord Archer during a signing session at Harrods for his novel Twelve Red Herrings in 1994 (PA)

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Greeting the Duchess of Cornwall at the Julien Macdonald Fashion Show Reception at Lancaster House (PA)

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Lord Archer writes a letter of apology as he resigned as Conservative London mayoral candidate after admitting he persuaded a friend to fabricate an alibi for him during his libel case against the Daily Star newspaper (PA)

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Disgraced Tory peer Lord Archer walks through the library at Hollesley Bay Prison, ahead of his release (PA)

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After his release from prison, Lord Archer campaigned for penal reform (PA)

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Jeffrey Archer, dressed in Victorian costume, umpires the start of the Wisden Victorian Cricket Match at Vincent Square, London to mark the 150th anniversary of the cricketers’ almanack (PA)

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Novelist and former politician Jeffrey Archer, Baron Archer of Weston-super-Mare, leaves BBC Broadcasting House in London on Sunday (Aaron Chown/PA)