The National:

DOUGLAS Ross has the Mona Lisa smile of stern looks.

In a new photo doing the rounds, the Scottish Tory leader has an expression as mysterious as the person in Leonardo Da Vinci’s famous painting.

And the context only deepens the mystery, like the uneven background to the masterpiece in the Louvre.

Just why has Ross got a look on his face like a schoolteacher who has caught the naughty kids out having a cigarette? Why the power stance? And, why has he taken part in a photoshoot standing by some bins?

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Why does the framing make the bins lead up to Ross like some kind of refuse Yellow Brick Road? Is he the next step? Or the head of this bin caterpillar?

As the questions piled up, the Twitter community was quick to offer answers.

Scots comic Janey Godley shared the photo on her profile with the caption: “I am the LORD OF THE BINS said he.”

The comedian’s followers were quick to add their own jibes.

Continuing the famous song Godley referenced, one Mrs K wrote: “And I'll lead you all … absolutely naewhere.”

Others suggested Ross had taken on the role of “bin monitor”.

And there were plenty of suggestions he was cutting out the middle-man, and taking his Tory leaflets to the bins himself.

Others suggested Ross may be taking his role as a football linesman a bit too seriously, writing: “The one in front of Dross is offside, and he's not pleased.”

But another noted: “The green bins are playing the others onside.”

One Callum wrote: “I just think it’s weird that Douglas Ross doesn't actually have any eyes. Quite apt, some might say, for his role as a Scottish football official.”

Stuart Braithwaite, from the band Mogwai, had his own take on the Ross photo.

“Now WHERE are those gypsies hiding???????” he wrote, referencing a comment Ross famously made where he said he would see tighter controls on traveling communities if he were prime minister.

“Bins are the new balustrades”, Braithwaite later added.

One Kayden wrote simply: “That’s a load of rubbish!”

Also sharing the image, journalist Dawn Foster quipped that Ross is showing how he is: “Tough on grime, tough on the causes of grime.”

David Mitchell, vice-convener of the Bo’ness SNP, commented: “Scottish Tory leaflets are just men looking angrily at bins.”

He added: “Am I wrang?”, sharing a photo of Tory MSP Dean Lockhart in a very similar position.

An anonymous account joked: “‘Hey Douglas, where you been?’

“‘Just up the road.’

“‘No Douglas, where you wheelie bin?!’”