Sir Paul McCartney has claimed that he was responsible for politicising the Beatles.

In an interview with Prospect, Sir Paul cited a meeting he had shared with philosopher Bertrand Russell in the 1960s as being the trigger for the band’s politicisation.

But his comments, which suggest it was he who persuaded John Lennon to oppose the Vietnam War, have been met by criticism from anti-war campaigners.

Sir Paul said: "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."

However, Tariq Ali, a former leader of Britain’s anti-war movement, said the former Beatle’s claims were “not my recollection at all”.

“It is possible McCartney met Bertrand Russell, but certainly I had no contact with Paul,” Ali added.

The former Beatle also told Prospect magazine that he had surrended the political "megaphone" to a new generation of singers, including U2's Bono.

(by Jason Gregory)