Dining Across the Divide: An Encounter Among Different Perspectives

Meeting the Individuals

First Diner: P., 34, London

Occupation Ex- civil servant, now a student studying public health

Political history Supported the Green Party last time (and a affiliate of the political group); previously Labour. Identifies as “left, and globalist instead of patriotic”

Interesting fact A drawing of a tea cup Peter created as a child was once displayed in the Irish National Gallery

Second Participant: Akshat, 43, from Harrow

Profession Risk analyst in the infrastructure industry

Voting record Originally from India, Akshat has lived in the United Kingdom for half a decade, and supported the Conservative Party. Describes himself as “somewhat moderate right”

Amuse bouche Akshat self-learned to understand the Urdu language. “I have no use for it, I was just fascinated”

For starters

The first participant During the past 20 years, I’ve lived and worked in Qatar, South Korea, the United States. The topics Peter and I discussed are UK-centric, but they are also global, because people's lives largely evolve similarly wherever it is. I anticipated someone very liberal, but he was quite measured – we engaged in a good, rational discussion. I drank beer, Peter had mojitos.

The second participant We split starters – seafood rolls, steamed buns, radish cakes with sprouts, which were superb. I felt somewhat anxious, as I think Akshat was. Was he going to attack me for my sensitivity? We each have immigrant backgrounds. I grew up in Dublin; I’ve lived in the United States and the Iberian Peninsula. We connected through our love of London.

Key disagreements

Akshat I look at migration like adding salt to a dish. When you add a little bit, the food tastes wonderful. Add too little or too much and the meal is either too bland or too salty.

The second participant He used an analogy regarding salt. It would be odd to exist if the government was choosing some preferred demographic of the nation.

The first participant There are, unfortunately, individuals fleeing persecution, but many people arriving in the UK are economic migrants who may not add significant value and can weigh on the welfare system. No one compels you to go to a new country for prospects, so you ought to relocate if you can take care of yourself and your family.

Peter We got lost with certain details. I don’t think it is the case that you arrive and are employed and then after five years you get indefinite leave to remain. No process is guaranteed. The climate has been unwelcoming for some time, visa fees are really high, there is an healthcare levy, eligibility for support is restricted. There is no special treatment for anybody. And concerning the new policies, under which you can’t bring your family over, it is astonishing to state: we desire your labor, but we reject you as a person. I think we have to have a degree of humanity.

Sharing plate

The first participant Peter questions unchecked capitalism. I am, too, but simultaneously, economic growth helps communities and ought to be promoted.

Peter We’re both internationalist. And we agreed that certain elements of the community – politics, the press – thrive off stoking division. We did find common ground in basic principles and ethics.

Dessert and debate

The first participant Peter believes that because the UK benefitted from the colonial era, it ought to provide compensation to those countries. My view is simply: you cannot judge history with contemporary ethics; times are different, current society were not responsible of what happened 50 or 100 years ago. Suppose the Britain had to compensate India, it would be a significant sum of money. Is the UK in a position to manage that? Certainly not.

The second participant Until recently, I don’t think there was much reckoning with the colonial past. As an instance, upon my arrival to the United Kingdom, people weren’t aware of the Irish famine and the part that colonialism contributed to it. I hold that decolonisation isn’t just about signing a cheque, it should be about examining what went wrong and where we should be now.

Takeaways

The first participant It won’t change the way I think, but I appreciate Peter’s concerns. I converse with people regularly with opinions are opposite to my own. The goal is uniting people to the same page, so that all of us can strive for the betterment of the community.

The second participant We remained for two and a half hours. Akshat had dessert and I had a Japanese dessert wine. I didn’t persuade him of any point, but we both enjoyed the meal, so we might become more receptive to engaging in dialogues with others in future.