Good morning. As the UK election looms, apparently only the scale of a Tory defeat is in doubt. French political parties are scrambling ahead of a second round of voting. And London rents are easing. Here’s what people are talking about.

Boris Johnson made an unexpected campaign appearance on Tuesday night to urge Conservative voters to deny Labour a landslide victory at the UK general election, a last throw of the dice by Rishi Sunak’s Tories to try to prevent huge losses that are expected at Thursday’s vote. The former premier repeated Tory campaign attack lines claiming Labour leader Keir Starmer would use a “super-majority” to put up taxes and allow uncontrolled immigration, allegations the opposition party denies. The comments come as UK opinion polls remain remarkably consistent: The opposition Labour Party is projected to win, and Starmer will be Britain’s new prime minister. Where polls differ is on the scale of victory, and whether Rishi Sunak’s Conservatives face an existential threat after 14 years in power. We look at possible scenarios — including some wildcards and also where the parties’ policies differ and where they align. And Mark Cranfield looks at what this could mean for the pound in his musings below.