R.I.P. Jeffrey Archer

[matticus]

. On a cycling note, his meeting with members of a Clarion Club as part of this series, a cycling organisation routed in Socialist ideology, showed mutual respect despite polar oppposite political views, with the conflicts of opinion taken in good humour.

I'd like to see that! Got a link, or any other signposts? (I generally find travelogues very dull, and he's always seemed nice-but-dull to me - YMMV!)

 

[BrumJim]

I'd like to see that! Got a link, or any other signposts? (I generally find travelogues very dull, and he's always seemed nice-but-dull to me - YMMV!)

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p0700z75

The actual slot is slightly longer, but looks like the episode isn't currently available on catchup / iPlayer.

 

[Jameshow]

Many politians are very amiable when you speak to them personally, which is, I guess, one the most important elements of the job spec, although some, I hear, come across as really nasty pieces of work. Archer? Never met him, but he clearly had a level of charisma that is well beyond that of a normal person. How else could he have bagged the job, wife and mistresses that were clearly well beyond his upbringing?

But Michael Portillo, on the other hand, seems like a genuinely nice guy, despite his political reputation. His Railway Journeys TV series shows him happy and willing to put those he meets front and central on the camera and in the narative, rather than as a stooge for his own personality. On a cycling note, his meeting with members of a Clarion Club as part of this series, a cycling organisation routed in Socialist ideology, showed mutual respect despite polar oppposite political views, with the conflicts of opinion taken in good humour.

People also change and mellow with time. Perhaps his imprisonment and subsequent becoming a Christian changed him?

 

[Ming the Merciless]

Cor, haven’t seen him in the news for over a decade. Were his books any good?

 

[BrumJim]

People also change and mellow with time. Perhaps his imprisonment and subsequent becoming a Christian changed him?

You are thinking of Jonathan Aitken?

 

[Drago]

You are thinking of Jonathan Aitken?

Blimey. I didn't realise he was the messiah!

 

[slowmotion]

Ah, but was she not fragrant?


To paraphrase the besotted judge in Jeffrey's perjury libel trial.

Edited to correct "perjury" to "libel". Faulty memory!

Justice Bernard Caulfield (the besotted one) then asked the jury to consider whether a man with such a wife would ever be in need of "cold, unloving, rubber-insulated sex in a seedy hotel".[

 

[Methersgate]

Justice Bernard Caulfield (the besotted one) then asked the jury to consider whether a man with such a wife would ever be in need of "cold, unloving, rubber-insulated sex in a seedy hotel".[

He could… and he did…

 

[MichaelW2]

Truely one of the greatest typists of his generation.

 

[nogoodnamesleft]

Whilst I didn't appreciate his books (but never even tried reading one) undoubtedly quite a few people did and getting people reading and enjoying reading must be a good thing.

 

[Drago]

His books werent the worst, although were quite variable in quality. The best of them werent bad at all.

 

[stephec]

Blimey. I didn't realise he was the messiah!

He's not the messiah, he's a very naughty boy.

 

[roubaixtuesday]

Private Eye, reporting on his misdeeds since1969(!)

https://bsky.app/profile/privateeyenews.bsky.social/post/3mx7wervehs22

 

[slowmotion]

After his conviction for perjury, did he have to return the loot he won in his libel case or was he allowed to trouser it?

 

[Jameshow]

You are thinking of Jonathan Aitken?

Sorry yes...