Morrissey has hit out at the response by the Prime Minister and leading politicians to the Manchester Arena bombing, saying “the anger is monumental”.

The Manchester-born singer criticised statements made by Theresa May, Manchester metro mayor Andy Burnham and London mayor Sadiq Khan in the wake of the attack that left 22 dead and injured dozens.

In a post on his Facebook page the former Smiths frontman said he was celebrating his birthday in the city when news of the atrocity broke.

Morrissey pictured performing on stage
Morrissey (Dave Thompson/PA)

He said: “The anger is monumental. For what reason will this ever stop?

“Theresa May says such attacks ‘will not break us’ but her own life is lived in a bullet-proof bubble, and she evidently does not need to identify any young people today in Manchester morgues.

“Also, ‘will not break us’ means that the tragedy will not break her, or her policies on immigration.

“The young people of Manchester are already broken – thanks all the same, Theresa.”

Theresa May
Theresa May (Matt Dunham/AP)

Taking aim at Mr Khan’s statement that the capital is “united with Manchester,” he commented: “But he does not condemn Islamic State – who have claimed responsibility for the bomb.”

He added: “Manchester mayor Andy Burnham says the attack is the work of an ‘extremist’. An extreme what? An extreme rabbit?”

Morrissey, a vociferous republican, said the Queen had received “absurd” praise despite not cancelling a garden party at Buckingham Palace “for which no criticism is allowed in the Britain of free press”.

Born Steven Patrick Morrissey in Davyhulme, Greater Manchester, the 58-year-old is known for his contrarian style and provocative commentary on events.

Throughout his career, which took off with The Smiths in the early 1980s, his material has also reflected on life in Manchester and the country today.

He wrote: “In modern Britain everyone seems petrified to officially say what we all say in private. Politicians tell us they are unafraid, but they are never the victims.

“How easy to be unafraid when one is protected from the line of fire. The people have no such protections.”

Former bandmate Johnny Marr earlier joined a stream of Mancunian artists to pay tribute to the victims of Monday’s tragedy, tweeting: “Manchester stands together.”