Irvine Welsh: Trump and Brexit will instil creativity

TRAINSPOTTING author Irvine Welsh believes we are living in 'exciting times,' following the election of President Trump and the Brexit vote.

Irvine Welsh feels that the current political situation will help to instil creativity in writers worldwide. Picture: Contributed

The Leith-born author revealed he was “disappointed,” with both results, but told the Irish Times it gave him “much more to write about.”

“I’m disappointed in Brexit; I’m disappointed about Trump,” he says. “But it gives you much more to write about. In that respect, these are exciting times,” he told the newspaper.

“The most interesting, resonant novels of our time – Fight Club and American Psycho – appeared in the last millennium. They are books about a time of transition. A bit like Trainspotting, I suppose.”

Welsh, 59, was in Edinburgh for the star-studded premiere of T2: Trainspotting, the follow up to the 1996 cult classic, on Sunday and believes the tense political feeling on both sides of the Atlantic can inspire more great writing.

“Fight Club is about the first generation of working Americans who are poor. Psycho is about the Trump mentality,” he said.

“Trump is referenced in the book. These are the big novels. Not necessarily the best writing. But they’re not books about people falling in and out of love with each other or whatever.”

“In the current climate, there have to be more great books around the corner.”

200 Voices: find out more about the people who have shaped Scotland