The newly-elected leader of Finland’s social democrat party (SPD) was quick on the draw for getting himself in hot water, as he was photographed holding a fake handgun in the nude, whilst his mates made nazi salutes – all to ‘celebrate’ Christmas…

The pictures, taken more than ten years ago, have been confirmed as authentic by the new leader, Antti Lindtman. Lindtman is stood second from the left in a balaclava and Santa hat combo. He admitted:

“Even though the pictures are from my youth, I’m not hugely proud of them. It seems the guys went a bit too far with their poses… I was not and am not a Nazi sympathiser. Not back then and not now. “

The SPD are no strangers to scandal. Antii succeeds Guido’s favourite Party PM as leader, and the election of new Party Secretary Mikkel Näkkäläjärvi has also seen some minor controversy. He committed the small crime of clubbing a cat to death.