Irvine Welsh slams Osborne’s Trainspotting speech

EDINBURGH author Irvine Welsh has hit out at the Chancellor George Osborne for ‘ripping off’ a section from Trainspotting in a recent speech at the Conservative Party Conference.

Twitter reacts to George Osborne's speech

During an address to delegates in Birmingham, Mr Osborne paraphrased the ‘Choose Life’ passage from the seminal novel, saying: “Choose jobs. Choose enterprise. Choose security. Choose prosperity, investment, fairness, freedom. Choose David Cameron, choose the Conservatives, choose the future!”

Welsh, who responded to Vice magazine’s request for comment by replying: “He’s [Osborne]a f*****g t***.

“I would rant about the p****, but have too much on re deadlines.”

The Scots author continued his tirade on Twitter, adding: “Would rather have Fred and Rose West quote my characters on child care than that c*** Osbourne [sic] quote them on choice.”

He followed up with: “Obviously not impressed by Osbourne’s [sic] Trainspotting refs, but there are bigger reasons to detest that t*** than him ripping off a poxy book.”

The Chancellor is not the first Tory figure to be criticised for his use of popular culture.

Guitarist Johnny Marr took to Twitter to ask Prime Minister David Cameron to stop saying he like The Smiths, while Radiohead frontman Thom Yorke threatened to sue Mr Cameron if he ever used the band’s music to promote the Tories at the 2015 General Election.