Northern Ireland

Guitar legend Steven Van Zandt hopes 'wonderful ending to tragic Brexit will be united Ireland'

Stevie Van Zandt in his trademark headscarf plays alongside Bruce Springsteen to a full house at Croke Park. Picture by Matt Bohill
Stevie Van Zandt in his trademark headscarf plays alongside Bruce Springsteen to a full house at Croke Park. Picture by Matt Bohill Stevie Van Zandt in his trademark headscarf plays alongside Bruce Springsteen to a full house at Croke Park. Picture by Matt Bohill

US rock legend and Sopranos star Steven Van Zandt has weighed in on Brexit, saying a "wonderful ending to a tragic story" would be a united Ireland.

The E Street Band guitarist, who played anti-hero Silvio Dante in the mafia TV hit, mounted a passionate attack on the UK's exit from the EU on social media on Sunday.

When asked by a Twitter user why he, as a self-professed "revolutionary" on the political left, opposed former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, Van Zandt replied because "he waffled on Brexit when it needed full throated opposition", denouncing him as "just another pussy liberal bringing a knife to a gunfight".

He went on to liken the UK's Conservative Party tactics to "the Republicans, play to win".

`Little Stevie' went on to say: "The UK is f****d. It'll take decades to fix and will never again have the position of strength it had pre-Brexit.

"It'll be a miracle of it can keep Scotland and Ireland. What a tragedy to one of the greatest places on Earth and great coalitions of territories. We still love it!"

When corrected by another Twitter user that the Republic remains in the EU, the long-time Bruce Springsteen collaborator clarified, expressing his hopes for a united Ireland.

"Sorry I meant Northern Ireland. Wouldn’t it be a wonderful ending to a tragic story if Brexit ended up resulting in the unification of the Irelands!"

He went on to explain why he beilieves the EU is a positive force in the world.

"It's a tragedy for us globalists who believe in more unions, partnerships, and treaties in a demilitarized, poison free, world of equality, that separates church and state, living in harmony with Mother Earth. Can you dig it?"

Van Zandt, who grew up in the Jersey Shore music scene, has been friends with E Street bandmate Bruce Springsteen since the mid 1960s.

His last acting role saw him appear in Martin Scorsese's 2019 gangster epic `The Irishman' as singer Jerry Vale.