MCC suspends Jeffrey Archer
Disgraced novelist and former Deputy Chairman of Britain's opposition Conservative Party Lord Jeffrey Archer has been suspended from the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC), the world's most prestigious cricket club has confirmed in a terse statement.
The suspension of cricket-loving Archer, who is serving a four year prison sentence, means he will be nearly 70 years old before he is able to enter the hallowed members' enclosure.
News of Archer's suspension and even expulsion had been the subject of intense speculation for
several weeks and co-incided with demands from British members of parliament that he should also be stripped of his peerage.
A decision on whether he manages to retain his title has yet to be made, but in a statement tonight a spokesman for the MCC said, "During its meeting on Wednesday 23rd October, the MCC Committee considered - among other issues - Lord Archer's membership of the Club.
MCC can confirm that - as has been reported - the Committee decided to suspend Lord Archer's membership of MCC for seven years, with immediate effect.
"A letter was sent to Lord Archer, on Wednesday afternoon, informing him of this decision."
The MCC Committee consists of 20 members chaired by Lord Alexander who absented himself from last Wednesday's meeting because he has in the past acted as Archer's legal adviser.
In his absence the chair was taken by former England crcicket captain Ted Dexter.
The MCC today refused to say how the committee voted, but inside sources told India Abroad that the mood of the meeting was to expel Archer, but he escaped that extra punishment by just one vote.
Archer's friends say he is nevertheless devastated by the suspension decision. Earlier he had written to fellow MCC members begging them not to penalise him for his tawdry behaviour in sleeping with a London prostitute and then falsely suing for libel the newspaper that dared to report his behaviour.
Although he has been repeatedly condemned, some former England cricketers who count themselves among Archer's friends did write in with letters of support.
One friend, Chris Beetles, said of the Lords decision, "Its a vindictive judgement on a man who has been good for cricket. It is unlikely to represent the views of most cricket-loving MCC members."
Mail Cricket Editor
