HE’S earned his place among the canon of the world’s most popular writers boasting 32 million sales of one novel alone.
But the controversial writer Jeffrey Archer has told how he is ill-equipped to create a character like the populist President Donald Trump who is too “irascible” to be a credible figure in fiction.
Mr Archer, whose own colourful life has included both being deputy chairman of the Conservative Party and being jailed for perjury, has said that he couldn't write about a character like Trump in his novels.
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The author, who is celebrating the 100th edition of one of his most well known books, Kane and Abel, is to appear at two events at this year's Edinburgh Festival Fringe, where he will be interviewed by his friend Harry Brunjes, the chair of English National Opera.
Archer said that he could not conceive of a character like the current President.
He also said he was concerned about whether Trump has the qualities to deal with the emerging nuclear threat of North Korea.
Trump is currently mired in the probe into his campaign's ties with Russia in the Presidential Election, controversial hirings and firings in the White House, the failure of his health bill and his open criticism of the Republican politicians in Washington.
Archer said: "You couldn't write Trump.
"I am following him every day. There is something new every day.
"I couldn't write him, but because the time the book is published I would be out of date."
He added: "I understand how he got elected, it took me some time, but I have woken up to that.
"But it's not good with the problems we have in North Korea, an irascible President is not good in that situation.
"You want someone who is very steady at the helm and has good advisors around him, who they listen to. That clearly isn't happening."
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Archer said that he voted Remain in the EU referendum, and that if Brexit is not a success "[Jeremy] Corbyn will be Prime Minister."
On Scottish politics, Archer said that Ruth Davidson, leader of the Scottish Conservatives, has done "an amazing job."
On the recent general election, he added: "But of course there was a private election going on in Scotland that wasn't happening in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, and that election was that those who don't want independence had the chance to vote for another party, and prove they are very against independence.
"We watched it from a distance down here [in London], and I am bound to say I was surprised by the results."
Archer's best selling books include Not a Penny More, Not a Penny Less published in 1975, as well as the bestselling seven book series, The Clifton Chronicles.
Kane and Abel, first published in 1979, has reached its 100th reprint this summer.
He also has a new collection of short stories, Tell Tale, out in November.
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Archer said he would be attending shows at the festival during his stay, including the new Alan Ayckbourn plays at the Edinburgh International Festival.
Mr Brunjes said: "Jeffrey’s packed more into the past 70 years than most.
"I’ve had the pleasure of hearing some of his jaw dropping anecdotes and I’m delighted he’s now going to share them with the public.
"We can promise you this will be an hour packed full of surprise and intrigue just like one of his page-turning novels."
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