Noel Gallagher says he refuses to wear 'pointless' face mask

Noel Gallagher says he refuses to wear a face mask because it is "pointless" and too many liberties are being taken away from people.

Since July, wearing a face covering is mandatory in shops, takeaways and supermarkets in England. Face coverings were also made a requirement on public transport in a bid to stop the spread of coronavirus.

Despite the Covid-19 guidelines, Gallagher said he recently insisted on not wearing a mask on a train to Manchester.

Speaking on the Matt Morgan podcast, the former Oasis guitarist said: "I was going up to Manchester the other week and some guy’s going, ‘Can you put your mask on,’ on the train, ‘because the transport police will get on and fine you a thousand pounds.

"But you don’t have to put it on if you’re eating.’ So I was saying: Oh right, this killer virus that’s sweeping through the train is gonna come and attack me, but see me having a sandwich and go, leave him, he’s having his lunch?

“Why do you have to wear one when you’re having a f***ing haircut, but you don’t have to wear one in the pub?”

Gallagher called Morgan a "cowardly germophobe" when the podcast presenter argued in favour of wearing a mask.

He added: “It’s not a law. There’s too many f***ing liberties being taken away from us now… I choose not to wear one.

"If I get the virus it’s on me, it’s not on anyone else … it’s a piss-take. There’s no need for it … They’re pointless."

Social media users were quick to condemn the star's comments on Twitter.

"Unfortunately Noel, if you get the virus, it's not just on you, it's on everyone else as well," one person said. "That's the whole point of the 'pointless' mask."

Some agreed with the guitarist, as they pointed out that he wasn't in a "high risk category".

"Unless he has an existing condition he should be fine, he's not over 80 or overweight," said one Twitter user.

Gallagher's brother Liam Gallagher recently said wearing a mask has "gotta be done" but he confessed that he did not like them.

It comes after the former Stone Roses frontman Ian Brown faced backlash after one of his tweets appeared to suggest he was against face masks.

Mr Brown posted: "NO LOCKDOWN NO TESTS NO TRACKS NO MASKS NO VAX #researchanddestroy."