Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn’s Christmas card depicts a snow coloured bicycle in front of a red telephone box – a nice, seasonal and non-denominational message, you might think, from the Islington North MP and Leader of the Opposition.
But as with his preference for two wheels as a way of getting round London, it’s an image that has attracted a fair bit of criticism both on social media and in the mainstream press.
A number of outlets, such as Telegraph.co.uk, pointed out that the stock image shown on the card was taken in 2009 (though Prime Minister David Cameron’s isn’t bang up to date either – it shows him and wife Samantha outside No 10 Downing Street the day after May’s general election.
Meanwhile, the Independent reports that one of the members of Corbyn’s shadow cabinet reacted to the card with the words, “What the fuck?”
The Guardian’s political editor Patrick Wintour – who has been a strong critic of the Labour leader – clearly couldn't resist sticking the boot in, parodying the card in a tweet.
Theo Bertram, a former advisor to Tony Blair and Gordon Brown, noticed a hidden message in the card, however.
That theme was picked up by Mikey Smith in the Mirror, who suggested there could be as many as seven hidden messages in the card.
On the use of two locks, he said: “This is obviously a coded signal that Ed Miliband's pledge of a double lock on NHS funding is to make a return in Corbyn's manifesto.
“Or it could be a street crime thing. We're not 100 per cent sure.”
The reverse of the card gives a seasonal twist on Labour’s red rose logo, something that was welcomed by some.
Still, it makes a nice change from the typical party leaders’ Christmas cards that take the form of a portrait with family or spouse ... we’ll spare you those on the grounds of taste.
> Remarkable young cyclist helps PM switch on Number 10 Christmas tree lights (+ video)
Back to Corbyn’s card, it’s definitely got the chattering classes, well, chattering – even Guardian art critic Jonathan Jones has had a pop at deconstructing it (tongue firmly in cheek, of course – we hope).
My agenda? Spit it out Rendel, let's not deal in nuance here. ...
The MilkIt valves are designed to make syringing easier and although they're expensive they do work well....
Although the kids are fully kitted out with helmets and hi-viz and need to be surrounded by parents to protect them from other traffic.
#cyclelikeyoudrive My deepest condolences and thoughts are of course with the family and friends of Harley Smith.
Another case of the vast majority making a small minority look bad!
There's a comment from 5 years ago pointing out that it tells you to screw in the bottom bracket the wrong way and it's still wrong. Very poor show.
Exactly. One of Di2's competitive advantages was the extra buttons that could be programmed to scroll screens on your head unit. What Shimano has...
the London Marathon isnt a good comparitor, because its literally only just over a quarter of the distance of a 100mile sportive, plus it loops...
Car careers through roundabout before crashing in Scots town...
Perth Zoo, I believe. (Most of Australia is pretty much uninhabitable apart from the coastal areas or for Aborigines who really know what they're...