Sir Paul McCartney 'politicised the Beatles'

LONDON: In what could give a jolt to one of the pillars of the Beatles' history, Sir Paul McCartney has claimed that it was he, and not John Lennon, who politicised the famous band.
 
It was earlier believed that Lennon introduced the Beatles to politics.
 
But, now McCartney has told 'Prospect' journal that the Beatles' politicisation began after he met philosopher Bertrand Russell in London in mid-1960s and he only persuaded Lennon to oppose the war in Vietnam.
 
"We sort of stumbled into things. For instance, Vietnam. Just when we were getting to be well known, someone said to me: 'Bertrand Russell is living not far from here in Chelsea, why don't you go and see him?' and so I just took a taxi down there and knocked on the door.
 
"He was fabulous. He told me about the Vietnam war -- most of us didn't know about it, it wasn't yet in the papers -- and also that it was a very bad war.
 
"I remember going back to the studio either that evening or the next day and telling the guys, particularly John (Lennon), about this meeting and saying what a bad war this was," 'The Sunday Telegraph' quoted McCartney as telling the intellectual magazine.
 
In fact, McCartney also said he had handed over the political "megaphone" to younger pop stars, including Bob Geldof and Bono, the U2 singer.
 
However, Tariq Ali, who was one of the leaders of the anti-war movement in Britain, has disputed McCartney's version of events. "It is not my recollection at all. It is possible McCartney met Bertrand Russell, but certainly I had no contact with Paul."