Trainspotting writer has blunt response after Scottish Tories use famous 'choose life' speech

Irvine Welsh had a few choice words for the Scottish Conservatives after they repurposed the “choose life” speech from his classic novel Trainspotting.

Welsh has been an outspoken critical of the party in the past, and it seems like they misjudged the situation completely after putting together a new promotional poster inspired by his work.

There was no doubting what the acclaimed writer thought about the whole thing after he replied to the posted online by writing, simply: “Get f****d you c***s.”

It came after the Tories posted the image with the caption: "Choose life without the SNP. Vote Scottish Conservative on May 5."

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The party prepped the promo ahead of the local council elections today (April 5), but the author certainly isn’t a fan.

The spiel, inspired by the era-defining 90s novel, reads: “Choose chopping up school doors. Choose ferries with painted on windows that don’t even float.

“Choose the ‘Saudi Arabia of renewables'. Choose blaming the TOAAARIES. Choose Humza. Choose an investment banker pretending to be a ‘humble crofter’.”

It continued: “Choose ships built in Eastern Europe. Choose a Car Park Tax. Choose Named Persons. Choose the Hate Crime Bill. Choose the worst drug deaths in Europe.

“Choose decriminalising heroin. Choose millions water on BiFab, Ferguson Marine and more. Choose state secrecy. Choose division. Choose nationalism. Choose flags. Choose more flags.

The author had a blunt responseGetty Images

“Choose a hard border with your neighbours. Choose pensions paid for by taxpayers in a country you want to leave. Choose a £12 billion deficit on day one. Choose a country stuck, endlessly going over the same arguments we had in 2014.”

The “choose life” speech is one of the most well recognised passages from Trainspotting, and it’s spoken by protagonist Renton, played by Ewan McGregor in the 1996 film adaptation.

With Scots taking to the polling stations to cast their votes today, it's safe to say the response from Welsh probably wasn’t the one the Conservatives were hoping for.

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