Editing Jeffrey Archer (section)

===Prison===
Archer was initially sent to [[HM Prison Belmarsh]], a [[Prison security categories in the United Kingdom|Category "A"]] prison, but was moved to [[HM Prison Wayland]], a Category "C" prison in [[Norfolk]], on 9 August 2001. Despite automatically qualifying as a category "D" prisoner, given it was a first conviction and he did not pose a serious risk of harm to the public, his status as such was suspended pending a police investigation into [[#Kurdish aid controversy|allegations about his Kurdish charity]]. He was then transferred to [[HM Prison North Sea Camp]], an [[open prison]], in October 2001.  From there he was let out to work, briefly, at the [[New Theatre Royal Lincoln|Theatre Royal]] in [[Lincoln, England|Lincoln]], and allowed occasional home visits.<ref name=Peachey>{{cite news|last1=Peachey|first1=Paul|title=Dramatic entrance as Archer takes theatre's supporting role|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/dramatic-entrance-as-archer-takes-theatres-supporting-role-174020.ht|access-date=23 December 2015|work=The Independent|date=19 August 2002}}{{dead link|date=August 2021|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref>

Media reports claimed he had abused this privilege by attending a lunch with a friend, Education Secretary [[Gillian Shephard]].<ref name=Goodchild>{{cite news|last1=Goodchild|first1=Sophie|title=So that's what he was up to when he wasn't out for lunch|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/crime/so-thats-what-he-was-up-to-when-he-wasnt-out-for-lunch-132178.html|access-date=23 December 2015|work=The Independent|date=5 October 2002|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151223235509/http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/crime/so-thats-what-he-was-up-to-when-he-wasnt-out-for-lunch-132178.html|archive-date=23 December 2015}}</ref> In September 2002 he was transferred to a Category "B" prison, [[Lincoln (HM Prison)|Lincoln]].<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/2283443.stm "Archer moved from open prison"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040704174717/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/2283443.stm |date=4 July 2004 }}, BBC News, 26 September 2002</ref> After three weeks, he was moved to the Category "D" [[HM Prison Hollesley Bay]] in Suffolk.<ref>[http://news.sky.com/story/130743/archers-holiday-bay-prison-move "Archer's 'Holiday Bay' Prison Move"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140427204859/http://news.sky.com/story/130743/archers-holiday-bay-prison-move |date=27 April 2014 }}, Sky.com, 17 October 2002.</ref>

During his imprisonment, Archer was visited by a number of high-profile friends, including actor [[Donald Sinden]]<ref>{{cite news|last1=Donald|first1=Gideon|title=The Nudgeocon|url=http://www.newstatesman.com/uk-politics/2009/03/campbell-spiked-britain-archer|access-date=26 April 2017|work=New Statesman|date=26 March 2009|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170427101830/http://www.newstatesman.com/uk-politics/2009/03/campbell-spiked-britain-archer|archive-date=27 April 2017}}</ref> and entertainer [[Barry Humphries]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/extras/sunday-review/regulars/how-we-met-barry-humprhies--jeffrey-archer-804282.html|last=Eyre| first=Hermione|title=How We Met: Barry Humphries & Jeffrey Archer|date=6 April 2008|work=[[The Independent]]|location=London|access-date=6 May 2010}}{{dead link|date=August 2021|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref>

In October 2002, Archer repaid the ''Daily Star'' the £500,000 damages he had received in 1987, as well as legal costs and interest of £1.3 million.<ref name=Leonard>{{cite news|last1=Leonard|first1=Tom|title=Archer settles £1.8m libel debt with newspaper|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1408852/Archer-settles-1.8m-libel-debt-with-newspaper.html|access-date=23 December 2015|work=The Telegraph|date=2 October 2002|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151224154048/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1408852/Archer-settles-1.8m-libel-debt-with-newspaper.html|archive-date=24 December 2015}}</ref> That month, he was suspended from [[Marylebone Cricket Club]] for seven years.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2002/oct/28/cricket.archer|title=MCC gives Archer out&nbsp;— for seven years|date=28 October 2002|newspaper=The Guardian|location=London, UK|first=Jamie|last=Wilson|access-date=6 May 2010|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131002172815/http://www.theguardian.com/uk/2002/oct/28/cricket.archer|archive-date=2 October 2013}}</ref>

On 21 July 2003, Archer was released on licence from Hollesley Bay after serving half of his [[sentence (law)|sentence]].<ref>{{cite news|title=Lord Archer freed from prison|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/3082627.stm|access-date=23 December 2015|work=BBC News|date=22 September 2003|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151223114010/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/3082627.stm|archive-date=23 December 2015}}</ref>
He remained a peer, there being no legal provision through which his peerage could be removed at the time other than passing a new Act of Parliament.<ref>{{cite news|title=Disgraced Archer may lose peerage|url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2001/jul/20/archer.politics2|access-date=23 December 2015|work=The Guardian|date=20 July 2001|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151223151943/http://www.theguardian.com/uk/2001/jul/20/archer.politics2|archive-date=23 December 2015}}</ref> He also retained membership of the House of Lords, which did not then have the power to expel members; however, Archer did not take an active part in parliamentary proceedings until his retirement from the Lords on 4 July 2024. Politically, he was a [[non-affiliated member of the House of Lords]].<ref>{{cite news|title=Cameron snubs Archer's Lords bid|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/4472638.stm|access-date=23 December 2015|work=BBC News|date=27 November 2005|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060203153757/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/4472638.stm|archive-date=3 February 2006}}</ref>