Pressure on Archer to 'clarify' share deal: James Cusick reports on the questions facing the millionaire author and former Conservative Party deputy chairman

PRESSURE will be put on Lord Archer to 'clarify' his 'grave error' apology over his role in the purchase of Anglia Television shares. Back at his London office yesterday after a lengthy promotional tour abroad, the Tory peer and author will face, according to senior Conservatives, 'discreet pressure' to disarm the opposition before Parliament returns next month.

There is now worry in Tory ranks that the parliamentary privilege given to MPs will mean an instant demand on Lord Archer to explain events in his 'association' with the purchase of 50,000 Anglia shares netting pounds 80,000 profit. As one party insider said yesterday: 'The feeling is that if he doesn't explain, sooner or later someone else will.'

The comments follow last month's statement by Jeremy Hanley, the Tory chairman, that the Archer affair was 'unlikely to go away' and that Lord Archer still had to 'sort out' the matter. Although credited at the time as a political gaffe, indications are now that Mr Hanley was delivering a view held in senior echelons of his party.

The Department of Trade and Industry held an inquiry into the share deal after the Stock Exchange alerted it to Lord Archer's order of Anglia shares on the eve of a pounds 292m takeover by the media group MAI. The DTI in July said 'no action' would be taken against Lord Archer.

One of the key questions the Tory party will hope their former deputy chairman has an answer to is why he ordered the shares from the stockbrokers Charles Stanley in January while knowing that his wife was a director.

A spokesman for MAI said yesterday that Dr Mary Archer would have received 'a series' of warnings outlining her directorial duties. Inquiries by the Stock Exchange and Anglia satisfied both that she had upheld her duties.

A further question will be over Lord Archer's registration of the shares in the name of an Iraqi business associate, Broosk Saib. The cheque for the pounds 80,000 profit was sent to the address on the share order form - Lord Archer's penthouse flat in Vauxhall, London. Despite Lord Archer initially denying that he had been involved in the share deal at all, his 'grave error' apology acknowledged an involvement to the extent of 'association'. He will be asked to explain what form that association took.

The question of who benefitted from the money will also be a priority. Lord Archer has stated that he did not benefit. Mr Saib has said he cannot legally comment. The Tories, will, as one party outlaw put it, 'prefer Jeffrey to take on the critics - as he has in the past'. The consequence of continuing silence by Lord Archer - according to one close confidant of the Prime Minister - will be his party 'slowly but surely disowning him'.

Lord Hollick, managing director of MAI, said yesterday that whether the affair was closed or not was 'a matter for the DTI'. The Labour benches of the Commons will not necessarily see it that way.

Both Robin Cook, Labour spokesman on trade, and Alistair Darling, Labour's City spokesman, regard the decision by Michael Heseltine, President of the Board of Trade, not to publish the DTI report as 'one Tory politician sitting in judgement over another'. Labour regard the Archer affair as an opportunity to steal moral high ground at a time when the Tory law- and-order drum is again being banged.

Neither Lord Archer nor Dr Archer were available to comment yesterday.