Controversial Scottish author Irvine Welsh has been talking to Hot Press about his decision to join the likes of Damon Albarn, Noam Chomsky and Vivienne Westwood in signing an online petition designed to show the strength of public opposition to the planned multi-billion renewal of Britain’s Trident weapons system.

The ‘Time To Move On’ campaign is being co-ordinated by Compass, a left of centre pressure group, and will target voters who oppose nuclear weapons in principle, but believe they offer an effective deterrent. Compass argue that keeping nuclear weapons is less likely to protect the UK than it is make it a target, in a world where terrorism rather than the Cold War is the biggest threat.

“I think it’s got to the point now that everybody’s really sick of the way the world’s going, you know?” Welsh told Hot Press’ Olaf Tyaransen. “And I’ve been one of the most apathetic people. I’ve just said, ‘Oh well, fuck it, let’s just enjoy ourselves and have fun’ and all that, and I still kind of believe that, that you’ve got to go on with your life, and live your life, and not get all bothered by things, but I think it’s just gotten so bad now that you kind of have to say this is just not on, basically, and how we can change that?

“I’ve kind of got more into that and I think social media’s facilitated with me as well, being on Twitter and all that, and seeing all these different points of view…you kind of start to get involved from there.”

Blur frontman Damon Albarn, who has also signed the petition, said in a statement: “We know that power is no longer linked to might, that’s ok. Wouldn’t the money saved by an end to Trident be better spent investing in our spirit, our health, our arts and education – and ultimately our happiness?”

Others signing the petition include: Young Fathers, Mercury prizewinners; Professor Peter Higgs, 2014 Nobel prize for physics; Vivienne Westwood, designer and activist; Frankie Boyle, comedian; Massive Attack (3D and Daddy G); Sir Michael Atiyah, ex-president of the Royal Society; Marina Cantacuzino, founder of The Forgiveness Project; Jonathon Porritt, Forum for the Future; Kamila Shamsie, writer; Lindsey Coulson, actress; Noam Chomsky, linguist and activist.