10 of the most bizarre Christmas cards politicians have actually sent

Every year, many politicians send out personalised Christmas cards to their friends and supporters.

And every year, there’s a handful that are awkward, unfortunate or just downright bizarre.

This year, Donald Trump and Keir Starmer’s cards caught people’s attention for all the wrong reasons.

But they’re far from alone. Politicians have sent so many embarrassing greeting cards (who could forget that Tony Blair smile), that at this point it’s a Christmas tradition.

So, from the offensive to the ridiculous, here are 10 of the weirdest of all time.

1. Keir Starmer’s “messy Christmas”

This year, Starmer opted for a picture of himself and his wife Victoria clapping for carers.

While the photo is nice, they probably should have thought through their font choice a bit more, because it looks (quite aptly, tbh) like they’re wishing everyone a “messy Christmas”.

2. Tony Blair’s weird grimace

There’s something deeply unnerving about Tony Blair’s 2014 Christmas card.

Perhaps it’s the way Cherie sort of looks like she’s holding her husband back, or perhaps it’s because he looks like he’s learnt how to smile from Chandler Bing.

3. Andrew Leigh’s grumpy son

Australian MP Andrew Leigh decided against airbrushing the realities of a family Christmas with young kids.

That’s why his grumpy 3-year-old, who didn’t much like being asked to stand still for the picture, made the final cut.

4. Ed Miliband’s bad boy attempt

Sick of everyone making bacon sandwich jokes, Miliband tried to reclaim his image in 2017.

The results were, err, interesting.

He poked fun at his manifesto monolith the following year. 

5. Donald Trump’s possible Photoshop

People think Donald and Melania Trump might have been Photoshopped into their most recent Christmas card.

They do look oddly small next to their surroundings.

6. Michele Fiore’s guns

What could be more Christmassy than a room full of people brandishing guns?

Nothing, according to Republican politician Michele Fiore’s bizarre family portrait.

7. Richard Harrington’s double-thumbs up

We’re guessing former Watford MP Richard Harrington wasn’t exactly going for austere and statesmanly.

His football scarf, matching hat, double-thumbs up and enormous grin saw to that.

8. Godfrey Bloom’s appalling ‘humour’

Former MEP and one-time Ukip politician Godfrey Bloom referenced two of his most offensive remarks in his 2013 Christmas card: one that British foreign aid is sent to “bongo bongo land” and the other that women who don’t clean behind the fridge are “sluts”.

Bloom lost the party whip as a result of his offensive comments and behaviour and later quit Ukip because he deemed it too “politically correct”.

9. Peter Bone’s awful Brexit joke

Brexiteer Peter Bone (very roughly) put together an image of him as Santa Claus dropping off lumps of coal to Jean-Claude Juncker and Angela Merkel.

And just in case you didn’t get the joke, he explained it in the text to the right.

Also, what’s a “Brexit New Year”??

(And why didn’t he quit while he was ahead?) 

10. Nick Clegg’s iPad doodles

The former deputy PM’s card becomes quite cute when you realise the doodles were added by his children.

But couldn’t he have let them design the whole card, as lots of politicians do, with colouring pencils?

At the very least, he could have chosen a photo with himself and his wife, Miriam González Durántez, in the centre so she’s not awkwardly cut off at the side.

Seriously everyone.

How hard is it just to take a nice photo and slap “merry Christmas” on top?