The French presidential candidate François Fillon, who is mired in a “fake” jobs scandal, was to hold a major rally of supporters in Paris as he battles to keep his presidential hopes alive after refusing to step aside.

Ahead of the Sunday rally, seen as a last-ditch bid to salvage his candidacy, Fillon’s British wife, Penelope, broke her silence over the allegations that Fillon gave her and his children fake parliamentary jobs for large taxpayer-funded salaries.