Always go to a storyteller if you want a sparky answer to a question. What does Jeffrey Archer, bestselling author, member of the House of Lords, one-time candidate for Mayor of London and prison diarist, think will happen to American politics next? Comes the reply: Angelina Jolie. Or perhaps George Clooney. Or maybe even Tom Hanks. One of these, argues Archer, will run for president next time. ‘And why wouldn’t they win?’
He expands. ‘I’ve given in now. The days of spending your life in politics, learning politics, getting ready for high office, are gone. You can have it tomorrow. Macron got it in one minute.’
The words might seem rueful but the tone they’re delivered in is anything but. Archer is chipper, full of comic barks and growls, whizzing out anecdotes and judgments with theatricality, and declaring himself pretty happy with his lot. He has a new book out, a collection of short stories called Tell Tale, which also includes the first four chapters of Heads You Win, a novel to be released next year.
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