Who is Liverpool’s biggest badass? Vote now!

Liverpool isn’t much like Oxbridge: okay their prominent alumni list makes ours look like the Young Greens’ sign up sheet, but we can pride ourself in having a different breed of graduate.

We don’t attract the flimsy rahs who would cry if their shirt got splashed by a bit of port, or try to bribe a bitchy bouncer. There are no dictators amongst our graduates, unlike Oxbridge (I’m looking at you Mugabe).

Instead, our alumni absorb the city’s street-savvy attitude, adopt the Scouse humour and don’t hold back the punches.

Urban Dictionary defines badass as being an “Ultra-cool motherfucker.” So let us know which of your famous ex-UoL students meet this criteria.

You probably won’t recognise all of them, but it is now up to you to crown the coolest University of Liverpool alumni – who you’d happily challenge to a pint-downing competition.

 #1 Jon Snow

Sporting stripey attire is almost as badass as causing a riot on the rooftops

Our favourite Channel 4 presenter isn’t as gentile as he seems. You might notice hints of style in his edgy ties, but this Law undergrad was notoriously kicked out of the university for political activism.

He was rusticated for clambering onto the rooftops in protest, and participating in the student occupation of  Senate House in 1970 – all to fight against the university’s investment in apartheid South Africa.

The UoL big dogs appear to have regretted his suspension, as four decades later, he was granted an honourary degree.

 #2 Wade Barrett

With this guy’s degree, and right hook, he’ll have you sleeping with the fishes

This hench hunk is an English professional wrestler signed to WWE performing under a new ring name Bad News Barrett – not some one you’d want to piss off in Walkabout.

A former bare-knuckle boxer, this bad boy is no stranger to fighting and pain. However, underneath this tough guy facade, Stuart Alexander Bennett (as he is known to his ma’) undertook a degree in marine biology.

 #3 Carol Ann Duffy

Could Cazza be our biggest badass?

This ex- Liverpool lady studied philosophy here in 1974.

Among her badass traits, being the first lesbian poet laureate and writing a sonnet about the expenses scandal, there is one thing most students associate with her… her multitude of metaphors for muff.

Making poetical porn, she has liberated women everywhere with better names for their lady-parts than axe wound. The Tab’s personal favourite is ‘Oppenheim’s Cup and Saucer’.

#4 Nick Grimshaw

Does Nick’s badass breakfast show get your vote?

The Radio One DJ, celeb schmoozer  and notorious Twitter gossip queen Grimmy started off at UoL.

He made his mark through the student radio (holla’ LSRadio), and now famously parties with the stars.

One of his most badass actions is snubbing Rihanna for ditching him in an interview – if he’s too cool for RiRi, he is just too cool.

#5 Dame Stella Rimington

It’s no secret that she’s more badass than Bond

Dame Stella came to our uni to study archive administration, which is more bum out than badass, but she then reedeemed herself, going on to be Director General of MI5 in 1992.

Think M in James Bond … except for she was MI6 and, more importantly, fictional.

Rimington is one of Britain’s most famous spies – playing a major role in our secret services, being the first woman to rise to the top of MI5 and was the first director general to be identified publically: a triple threat.

 #6 Peter Kay

Look who’s laughing now, Liverpool

Strictly speaking, this comedy character isn’t really an alum, he was actually a UoL drop out.

After starting a course at Liverpool, he began to struggle. So instead of getting a bum grade, he backed out of his course and went to the University of Salford – easier, but not as boss.

#7 Philip Clarke

“Every Liverpool Degree Helps!”

One of our non-celeb alumni is Philip Clarke. The now CEO of Tesco, studied economics here and is on a seven figure salary – good luck topping that econ grads!

This bad ass baller obviously had a lot to answer to following the horsemeat scandal last year, but he’s also supplied students with Sydney Jones’ favourite lunch break location.

 #8 Beth Tweddle

Do you think Beth deserves a bronze in this contest?

The most successful British gymnast and bar enthusiast, is actually a JMU graduate.

After undertaking a degree in Sports Science, she aspired to travel up the hill to the University of Liverpool, studying physiotherapy.

She’s now turned us down, claiming that she couldn’t give the degree 100 percent. For once, JMU got the upper hand!

 #9 Steve Coppell

Think he’ll coppell off with the prize?

The Tab’s got another economics graduate over here, enrolling simultaneously at the University of Liverpool and Tranmere Rovers in 1973.

He’s managed numerous football clubs and has been labelled something of an enigma for repeatedly walking out.

Steve is also credited with discovering Ian Wright, proving that badasses attract cool company.

 #10 Chris Lowe

From 1978, this half of the Pet Shop Boys, studied architecture at the university.

Apart from rocking some serious shades in his time, the band stuck a middle finger up to the trendy music industry, reportedly being ‘anti-rock’n’roll’, and welcoming us all to the world of disco and dance.

None of the above resemble a stereotypical badass – James Dean: leather jacket, motorbike and a cigarette constantly hanging from a pouty lip – but then again, James Dean didn’t go to our uni so he can’t be that cool.

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