Korean politicians in massive brawl

Free trade agreements may not immediately strike you as a political issue likely to inflame the passions and provoke an enormous brawl - but that's what happened today in the South Korean parliament.

As the ruling Grand National Party tried to bring in bill apporoving a free trade pact with the United States, opposition party members tried to get into the committee room where the bill was being introduced. Naturally, the ruling party barricaded the doors to the room with furniture.

It all kicked off from there, with opposition members fighting with security guards before taking a sledgehammer to the door, and ruling party members turning fire extinguishers on them to drive them back.

We can't help but feel that the British parliament would be a lot more interesting if, just occasionally, Gordon Brown gave David Cameron a fire extinguisher to the face because he didn't like the tone of his voice at Prime Minister's questions.