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What do famous Mancunians think of Donald Trump?

Donald Trump is a controversial figure to say the least.

The former president, and likely president-elect, evokes strong feelings from supporters and detractors alike.

This includes plenty of Mancunians who have had their say on the man who looks set to return to the White House.

MM has taken a look at the comments on Mr Trump from some of Manchester’s most famous figures.

Noel Gallagher

Oasis songwriter and guitarist Noel Gallagher isn’t shy with his opinions.

Before Trump became President, Noel described him as “f***ing hilarious”.

Noel said: “Purely from somebody speaking from across the Atlantic, it’s an amazing thing to watch.

“I’m glad he’s not running to be president of England but he is f***ing funny, I’ll give him that.”

However, Noel appeared to change his tune after the 2016 election, calling Trump’s environmental views “pretty f***ing scary”, adding that they will “affect my children”.

Image attribution: Sean Reynolds from Liverpool, United Kingdom, CC BY 2.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Tyson Fury

On the other hand, boxing legend Tyson Fury is more of a fan of President Trump.

In fact, following his victory over Deontay Wilder in 2020, Fury was due to visit the White House but couldn’t due to the pandemic.

Trump had praised the bout as a “great fight”, saying that “it was really very exciting”.

Fury predicted a Trump victory following a conversation with the former president.

Fury said: “I think he’ll get it in 2024, I think Donald Trump will be president of the United States.

“I’m not going to go on about what he did or didn’t say in a private conversation, but I think he’ll be president again.”

Image attribution: Mike DiDomizio, CC BY-SA 4.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Angela Rayner

Stockport-born Angela Rayner is now Deputy Prime Minister of the UK.

In her capacity as Deputy Leader of Labour, she called then ministers in the Conservative government “spineless” for not calling out Trump’s “lies”.

However Labour now take a far more considered stance on Trump, and it is the UK government’s position that they would work constructively and fully with whoever wins the 2024 US general election.

Image attribution: Simon Dawson / No 10 Downing Street, OGL 3 http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3, via Wikimedia Commons

Steve Coogan

Steve Coogan is a comedian and actor, most famous for his character Alan Partridge.

The Partridge character is known for his tactless, awkward over-confidence, something Coogan has likened to the former president.

He said: “In some ways, I think the only person on Earth who’s more Alan Partridge than Alan Partridge is Donald Trump.

“It kind of makes it difficult to write comedy; even Alan Partridge would think Donald Trump was a bit much.”

Coogan is outspokenly left-wing, so it is, to say the least, not surprising that he isn’t a fan of Mr Trump.

Image Attribution: Timmi, CC BY 2.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Maxine Peake

Another outspoken celebrity actor on the left is Maxine Peake, best known for starring in a variety of TV dramas and comedies here in the UK.

Peake disparagingly compared President Trump’s election in 2016 to the EU referendum that same year.

She said: “We were just absolutely floored by Brexit here.

“I don’t think either side really knew what they were voting for – it blinded people and it divided people — really divided people.

“And it feels to me in the UK now there’s a wave of libertarianism that feels sort of American, you know?

“When you look at your country, with what’s happening with Trump and what’s happening here, people’s politics have gotten so confused.”

Maxine Peake (right) with former leader of the Labour Party Jeremy Corbyn (left). Image attribution: Rwendland, CC BY-SA 4.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Morrisey and Johnny Marr

Morrisey and Johnny Marr do not agree on much, the two having fallen out massively since their songwriting partnership in The Smiths.

Politically they differ too, Marr having always been a man of the left and Morrisey more difficult to figure out politically, to say the least.

On Trump, Morrisey is clear however – he stated he would, if given the opportunity, push a button that would murder the US president “for the safety of the human race”.

The singer also bluntly stated: “He is not a leader. He is a vermin.”

And when Johnny Marr heard that the Smiths’ track “Please, Please, Please Let Me Get What I Want” was playing at a Trump rally, the guitarist was furious.

Marr tweeted: “I never in a million years would’ve thought this could come to pass.

“Consider this s*** shut right down right now.”

The Smiths, with co-songwriters Morrisey and Johnny Marr in the centre. Image attribution: Paul Cox; Distributed by Sire Records, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Featured image attribution: The White House, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

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