Ballot boxing: Politics turns into a punch-up

When discussion leads to concussion, when political debate leads to hate - our picture desk selects the most bruising political punch-ups...

If politics is showbusiness for ugly people, we should perhaps expect ugly scenes.

In these economically tough times it is also maybe unsurprising that politicians should in their fury reach for an object to fling at someone.

Indeed, that's what happened at the Legislative Council in Hong Kong yesterday.

Pro-democracy lawmaker Leung Kwok-hung threw a cloud-shaped cushion at Hong Kong's Financial Secretary John Tsang to demand a universal retirement protection scheme during the annual budget report.

And though his selection of object might be unusual (politicians tending to favour their fists), violent outbursts are by no means a rare occurrence between the politically minded - as our gallery - selected by Annalee Mather of The Independent picture desk proves...