According to a new book by Dr. Gavin Hopps, former Smiths vocalist Morrissey is the greatest lyricist in the history of British popular music. Click here for more.
That's what I like to call a "debatable statement" (the first one, not the second. If you click there you will get more).
I think it's hard for music fans to fairly rate lyricists because more often than not we hear a song before reading the lyrics, so the words are one of several elements contributing towards the experience. Even if there was no music, hearing someone read lyrics would involve factors other than the words affecting how you feel about the lyrics.
That having been said, who agrees that Morrissey is the best lyricist in the history of British popular music? I'm assuming popular means "not classical" as opposed to "pop."
If not Morrissey, than who might it be?