On the centenary of the Russian Revolution, for those interested in understanding the causes, events and consequences of October 1917, there are dozens of books and articles to get stuck into. The Last of the Tsars: Nicholas II and the Russian Revolution by Robert Service, is not one of them.

After not making it past the first round of the French presidential elections, Jean Luc Melenchon unlike other losing candidates, decided not directly to support Emmanuel Macron in the second round. Instead, he launched a ballot vote amongst his supporters from the Rebellious France (La France insoumise) movement, to decide whether to cast a blank vote, abstain altogether from the elections or vote for Macron in the second round.