Who is Murray Thwaite from The Emperor's Children and what is their importance?

Murray is in his sixties, an attractive man with a presence. His world is composed of ironies: he is consulted by the media and the world for his opinions, but leans heavily on his wife. He has a beautiful, intelligent daughter, but he considers her silly and vain. He has difficulty relating to the needs of a troubled teenager, but feels capable of writing a book telling people how to live their lives. Murray has always had affairs, but when he begins one with Danielle, his daughter's best friend thirty years his junior, it begins a series of events that results in affecting many lives. Murray's status is challenged by Ludo and Bootie, one from hatred, the other from love.