It's ironic that the growth of Scottish nationalism has precipitated in the English the sort of hand-wringing the Scots have always done over who they are.

Next quotes

• Irvine Welsh:

  People think if you're working class, there has to be some fascist element underneath.

• Irvine Welsh:

  I'm a failed musician rather than a successful writer.

• Irvine Welsh:

  Music helps me immeasurably in the writing process.

• Irvine Welsh:

  I make out a play list for every character and buy the records they would listen to; it helps me fi

• Irvine Welsh:

  I have a lot of successful musician pals, and as I get older, I find that I'm lucky to be a writer.

• Irvine Welsh:

  I think what you call 'metropolitan America' - as in San Francisco, New York and Los Angeles - I th

• Irvine Welsh:

  You know what it's like: you don't want to read your old books again. All you can see are the flaws

• Irvine Welsh:

  I'm not really a mainstream novelist!

• Irvine Welsh:

  Writers in Britain aren't really celebrities. You become kind of a darling of a small set.

• Irvine Welsh:

  One of the things you want as a successful writer is the anonymity.