Keir Starmer mocked for photo him ‘signing’ a document with a pen that still has its lid on

British politics has often felt like one really, really long episode of The Thick Of It over the last few years.

But is there anything better - or more excruciating - than a good old “signing a document” photo call? No, no there isn’t.

Pictures have emerged of what looks like Labour leadership hopeful Keir Starmer doing just that but with a pen that still has its lid on... but all is not as it seems.

Still, people were quick to jump to conclusions and mock him for what they perceived as a gaffe.

This isn’t the first time a politician has fallen foul of the dreaded “signing a document photo call”. Remember when George Osbourne was mocked for signing his name on a printed budget document?

Or when Boris Johnson was mocked for staging a “resignation photo shoot” when he resigned as Foreign Secretary?

But when it comes to Starmer, it seems like there’s a clear explanation. People on social media were quick to defend the former barrister, saying that he was likely just been checking the document - as lawyers typically do do - before signing it.

And upon closer inspection, the photo shows his half way down the page, at a point where it's unlikely he would have to sign.

But the moral of the story is: politicians, please stop posing for photos with documents. It never ends well.