Noel Gallagher has defended his support of Tony Blair’s New Labour, saying that the party were “brilliant in opposition”.
In an interview with New Statesman, which is being guest edited by Gallagher’s friend Russell Brand, the guitarist speaks about his views on the current state of politics, his favourite politicians and tax policy.
When asked if he regrets endorsing Tony Blair’s New Labour in the 1990s, he replied: “Nah, not really. It was a great time in history. The grip of Thatcherism was being smashed. New Labour had been brilliant in opposition. When Tony Blair spoke, his words seemed to speak to people, young people. Call me naive but I felt something – I’m not quite sure what it was, but I felt it all the same. I do regret that picture at No 10 that night, though . . . I can still smell the cheese!”
Then when pressed on his views on Prime Minister David Cameron, Gallagher says: ” I don’t mind him, to be honest. No-one actually takes him seriously, do they? All that ‘call me Dave’ gear – hilarious.”
Gallagher then lists Winston Churchill as a politician he admires, as well as Tony Blair because he “played guitar and smoked a bit of weed (allegedly!)” and Labour backbencher Dennis Skinner.