Conversing Over the Gap: An Meeting Among Different Viewpoints

Introducing the Participants

First Participant: Peter, 34, from London

Profession Ex- civil servant, currently a learner focusing on community health

Voting record Supported Green last time (also a affiliate of the political group); previously Labour Party. Describes himself as “left, and internationalist rather than patriotic”

Amuse bouche A sketch of a teacup he created as a child was once hung in the Irish National Gallery

Other Diner: A., 43, from Harrow

Profession Risk analyst in the construction sector

Voting record Originally from the Indian subcontinent, Akshat has resided in the United Kingdom for five years, and supported the Conservative Party. Describes himself as “slightly right of centre”

Amuse bouche He taught himself to understand the Urdu language. “I have no use for it, I simply found it intriguing”

Initial impressions

The first participant Over the last 20 years, I’ve lived and worked in the Middle East, East Asia, the US. The issues Peter and I discussed are UK-centric, but they are also universal, because people's lives largely follows the same curve across the world. I anticipated someone very liberal, but Peter wasn’t all gung ho – we had a good, rational discussion. I drank beer, Peter had mojitos.

Peter We shared appetizers – seafood rolls, steamed buns, radish cakes with sprouts, which were superb. I was a little nervous, as I think he was too. Was he going to attack me for my sensitivity? We’re both immigrants. My childhood was in Dublin; I have resided in the US and Spain. We connected through our love of London.

Key disagreements

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

Peter He used an analogy regarding seasoning. It would be odd to exist if the state was selecting some preferred demographic of the country.

Akshat There are, unfortunately, people escaping oppression, but a lot of people arriving in the United Kingdom are those seeking better finances who may not add significant value and can weigh on the benefit system. Nobody forces you to move to a different nation for opportunity, so you ought to relocate if you can take care of yourself and your relatives.

The second participant We got lost with some of the facts. In my view it’s like you come over and work and then following a half-decade you get permanent citizenship. No process is guaranteed. The climate has been unwelcoming since Theresa May, application costs are quite expensive, you pay an NHS surcharge, eligibility for support is limited. The red carpet isn’t rolled out for anyone. And regarding the recent changes, whereby family reunification is restricted, 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.

Common ground

Akshat Peter’s sceptical of unchecked capitalism. So am I, but simultaneously, economic growth benefits society and should be encouraged.

The second participant We each have global outlooks. And we concurred that certain elements of society – politics, the media – thrive off stoking division. We did find shared understanding in fundamentals and values.

Dessert and debate

The first participant Peter believes that since the UK profited from colonial times, it should pay compensation to those countries. My view is simply: it is unfair to assess the past with present day morality; times are different, modern people had no control of what happened decades or a century ago. Let’s say the UK was obliged to repay the Indian nation, it would be a huge amount of funds. Is Britain able to manage that? No.

Peter In the past, I believe there was much reckoning with colonial history. As an instance, when I first moved to the UK, people weren’t aware of the Great Famine and the role that imperial rule played in it. I hold that decolonisation is not merely about issuing payments, it ought to involve examining what went wrong and our current responsibilities.

Final thoughts

The first participant It may not alter the my perspective, but I understand Peter’s concerns. I talk to individuals regularly with opinions are opposite to mine. The goal is bringing everyone to the common understanding, in order that all of us can work towards the betterment of society.

Peter We remained for two and a half hours. Akshat had dessert and I had some sweet Japanese wine. I didn’t persuade him of anything, but we both enjoyed dinner, so we could hopefully be more open to having conversations with other people in the coming times.