THE Tories have been accused of Islamophobia for singling out the only person of colour in the Scottish Cabinet in a car-crash campaign advertisement aping the iconic Trainspotting movie poster.

The advert – which was panned by author Irvine Welsh – mimics the “choose life” slogan parodied in the film but focuses on criticisms of the SNP’s record in government.

But the only politician named is Health Secretary Humza Yousaf – the only Scottish minister who is not white.

The SNP have accused the Tories of paying “special attention” to the only member of the Scottish Government from an ethnic minority background.

A spokesperson for the party told The National: “The Conservatives are nothing if not consistent in repeatedly singling out the only person of colour in the Scottish Government for special attention.”

MEND Community, an organisation that campaigns against Islamophobia, urged the Tories to delete the offending tweet which it slammed as “distasteful”.

MEND tweeted: “Singling out a Muslim politician that is repeatedly subjected to hate speech and Islamophobia is distasteful and Islamophobic.

“Disappointing message from Scottish Conservatives. Delete, apologise and do better.”

Yousaf revealed the extent of racist abuse he received in a Twitter thread last year, including being sent emails referring to him as a “p**i” and an “invader”.

READ MORE: Council removes Union flags plastered across Rutherglen on Old Firm weekend

Social media users said Yousaf being singled out amounted to a “racist dog whistle”.

One said: “‘Choose Humza’ is less of a dog-whistle and more of a fog horn.”

Another added: “The [simple] ‘Choose Humza’ with no context was a nice racist dog-whistle. Only politician actually named.”

And one said: “One for all those Scottish Tory-voting Trainspotting fans out there.

“Hard to know what to take second but let’s start with the massive dog whistle that is ‘Choose Humza’ shall we? What a disgrace.”

While Yousaf is the only SNP politician named in the advert, it also makes reference to the SNP’s Westminster leader Ian Blackford with the quote: “Choose an investment banker pretending to be a ‘humble crofter’.”

SNP's Westminster depute leader Kirsten Oswald MP said: "Scotland has been choosing life without the Tories since 1955, yet under Westminster rule we have been subjected to decades of austerity, and now have the worst cost of living crisis in modern times. 

The National:

"The Conservatives have failed to mention one local issue in their campaign which highlights why they're plummeting in the polls.

"Instead of discussing ways to help families tackle the Tory-made cost of living crisis, they are posting fake Trainspotting quotes on their social media channels.

"On May 5, a vote for the SNP is a vote to deliver stronger local services, and to send a clear message to the Tories that their lies, cronyism and hypocrisy will not be accepted in Scotland."

Blackford is routinely mocked by political opponents for once referring to himself as a “simple crofter” which they say cloaks his personal wealth and a past career in the finance sector.

The term dog-whistle refers to political messaging conveying a message which will be understood on one level by people who hold a certain point of view while being coded or concealed in such a way as to go unnoticed by the general public.

The Tories have denied Yousaf was singled out because of his religion. 

A party spokesperson said: “This graphic references both Ian Blackford and Humza Yousaf. It is far more critical of Mr Blackford.

"They have both been included because they are appalling at their jobs.

"Their inclusion has nothing to do with either of their religions.

"This graphic is a purely political advert that attacks the SNP's record in government and the ways they have failed Scotland. 

"In Mr Yousaf's case, he was included because of the worst A&E waiting times ever, the Hate Crime Bill, inability to bring in Michelle's Law and dozens of other failings throughout his time in government."