Rylance is so dull as a Shakespearean. Always fishing for the novel line reading, swims against the current of every scene. Somehow manages to be hammy as he underplays, makes it all about himself.

Lula won by more than 4 million votes. Hard to say the vote extension brought that much in a short time. He gained 11 million votes from round 1 out of…where? Literally no one endorsed him. Everyone from the centre went to Flavio. Even good chunks of the LEFT backed him too. Lula was all alone and completely cornered. This is like Columbia where Abelardo was expected to win comfortably by like 7-8 with all the key endorsements in his favor then he barely squeaks it by like 0.8%. Except the results actually flipped in the case of Brazil.

The swing to Lula was larger in municipalities with more irreligious or evangelical residents, while municipalities with more Catholics swung towards Bolsonaro

We’re honestly supposed to believe Brazil swung nearly 10 points to the Left since the first round just a few weeks ago lol Even if you gave all of Avante's votes to Lula, that's still a 7 point shift in barely three weeks!

The key questions will be over the economy, monarchy, Atlanticism. The Green Right will oppose the policy consequences of an “ecosocialist party” – committing to common ownership of big businesses and banks, a republic, nonalignment by closing all the US bases and leaving NATO.

Exclusive: The chancellor will use his budget this week to protect pensioners and those saving for their retirement as he announces plans to shield nearly one million people from paying income tax John Healey is expected to confirm on Wednesday that the full state pension will rise by £489 to £13,036 - equivalent to 3.9% However, the rise will push about one million people on low incomes who rely on the state pension above the £12,570 personal allowance threshold, meaning they would be dragged into paying income tax To retain the principle that the state pension is not taxable, Healey is expected to announce a rise in the tax-free allowance for low-income pensioners to £13,036. The move will cost taxpayers £200m a year by 2030 It will rise in line with increases in the state pension over the course of this parliament. However, millions of pensioners with higher incomes - such as those who have private pensions - will still pay income tax The Times has also been told that the chancellor has decided not to reduce the tax-free pension lump sum. Pension savers can take 25 per cent of their pension tax-free from the age of 55 up to a maximum of £268,275 There were suggestions that Healey could reduce the tax-free amount to £100,000, but he has chosen to retain the current level The moves to protect pensioners and those saving for their retirement come after Andy Burnham announced plans to end the pensions triple lock - under which the state pension rises in line with inflation, wages or 2.5 per cent - in 2030 to help fund social care thetimes.com/article/47291ec…

British Columbia a good data point for the “don’t call a snap election” arguments with clear parallels to UK dynamics. NDP call election with poll lead, when opponents on right are in turmoil. Conditions look ideal and yet voters don’t look kindly on it and Conservatives win big.

"He promised change, he promised something very different from Keir Starmer, & if he doesn't deliver eventually something very different from Keir Starmer then he's going to be in trouble" @Neal_Compass on Andy Burnham & next weeks budget

Nigel Farage responds to Andy Burnham's call for an 'honest discussion' about a return to the EU's free movement rules 'This is a total betrayal of Brexit Britain and Burnham's Makerfield pitch. 'He is also deluded to say immigration was different when we were members of the EU. 'We will fight this dishonesty'

that's just synthesis of existing ideas

The grass field that these two pillocks just "saved" was an old, overgrown rugby pitch next to the site where Bath RFC Juniors train. It's been left to rot for years. A Lidl would have brought discounted groceries to thousands of hard-up families. These people are sick.