The Times We Lived In: Mickey Mouse politics - who, moi?

Just when you think you’ve found the silliest political photo ever published, up pops another candidate. And this shot from – appropriately – the silly season of 1989 has to be up there with the best of them.

The caption tells us that it shows "The Lord Mayor of Dublin, Alderman Sean Haughey, with Walt Disney characters Mickey Mouse and Dopey, outside the Mansion House in Dublin yesterday to promote the Walt Disney's World on Ice show in the RDS in September"

Which tell you everything you need to know – without answering a single one of the myriad questions which spring to mind. Why would a Walt Disney production require the imprimatur of the Lord Mayor of Dublin? Did the Lord Mayor not have more important matters in his diary for that day? Or did he just spot Mickey and Dopey on the steps of the Mansion House and dash out to say hello? And, above all: Mickey Mouse politics – who, moi?

But if you’re going to do a thing, you might as well throw yourself into it. Mr Haughey inhabits the spirit of the Disney cartoon character with considerable aplomb. He has the animated angles covered, that’s for sure. (In fact, we’re inclined to think the shot may have been carefully planned by his advisers and spin-doctors because he is, quite clearly, leaning to the left.)

These days we hear a great deal of guff about foolhardy photos being posted into cyberspace only to perch there forever, doing irreparable damage to the subject’s employment prospects. But seriously. Wouldn’t you be tempted to vote for a politician who can goof as stylishly as this?

Anyhow, we checked out the website of the Fianna Fáil TD for Dublin Bay North, which contains a generous gallery of images of Mr Haughey hard at work, launching art exhibitions, switching on Christmas lights, handing out awards and visiting sports halls.

We trawled through them in the hope of finding this one. Sadly, it wasn’t there. But we live in hope.