Dining Over the Gap: An Meeting Between Different Viewpoints
Meeting the Individuals
One Participant: P., 34, from London
Occupation Ex- government employee, currently a student studying public health
Political history Voted Green recently (also a member of the political group); previously Labour Party. Describes himself as “left, and globalist instead of patriotic”
Amuse bouche A sketch of a teacup Peter did as a kid was once hung in the National Gallery of Ireland
Other Participant: A., 43, Harrow
Profession Risk manager in the construction sector
Voting record Hailing from the Indian subcontinent, Akshat has resided in the UK for five years, and supported Conservative. Describes himself as “somewhat right of centre”
Interesting fact Akshat taught himself to understand the Urdu language. “It has no practical use for me, I was just fascinated”
Initial impressions
The first participant Over the last two decades, I’ve lived and worked in Qatar, East Asia, the United States. The topics we discussed are UK-centric, but they are also universal, because people's lives largely follows the same curve across the world. I was expecting a staunch liberal, but Peter wasn’t all gung ho – we engaged in a productive, logical conversation. I had a couple of beers, Peter had mojitos.
The second participant We shared starters – fishy spring rolls, steamed buns, radish cakes with sprouts, which were excellent. I was a little nervous, as I believe Akshat was. 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 the Iberian Peninsula. We connected through our affection for the capital.
The big beef
The first participant I look at immigration like adding salt to a meal. When you add a little bit, the food tastes wonderful. Add too little or too much and the meal is insipid or overly seasoned.
The second participant He used an analogy about salt. It would be odd to exist if the government was choosing some ideal ethnic makeup of the nation.
Akshat There are, sadly, people escaping oppression, but many people coming to the UK are economic migrants who may not contribute much and can burden the benefit system. Nobody forces you to go to a new country for prospects, so you should only go if you can take care of yourself and your relatives.
The second participant We became confused with some of the facts. I don’t think it’s like you come over and are employed and then after five years you obtain indefinite leave to remain. No process is guaranteed. The climate has been unwelcoming since Theresa May, application costs are quite expensive, you pay an NHS surcharge, access to benefits is restricted. There is no special treatment for anybody. And regarding the new policies, whereby family reunification is restricted, it is astonishing to state: we want your work, but we don’t want you. I believe we have to have a degree of humanity.
Sharing plate
The first participant Peter questions unregulated markets. So am I, but simultaneously, wealth creation benefits society and should be encouraged.
The second participant We each have global outlooks. And we concurred that some parts of society – government, the media – thrive off stoking division. We discovered shared understanding in fundamentals and ethics.
For afters
Akshat Peter is of the opinion that because the UK profited from the colonial era, it should pay reparations to those countries. My view is simply: you cannot judge the past with contemporary ethics; times are different, modern people were not responsible of what happened 50 or 100 years ago. Let’s say the Britain had to compensate India, it would be a significant sum of funds. Is Britain able to do that? No.
Peter Until recently, I believe adequate reflection occurred with the colonial past. As an instance, when I first moved to the UK, the public had little knowledge of the Irish famine and the role that colonialism played in it. I hold that decolonization isn’t just about signing a cheque, it ought to involve examining what went wrong and where we should be now.
Takeaways
Akshat It may not alter the way I think, but I understand Peter’s concerns. I talk to individuals regularly with opinions are opposite to my own. It’s about uniting people to the common understanding, so that all of us can strive for the betterment of society.
Peter We remained for 150 minutes. Akshat had dessert and I had some sweet Japanese wine. I didn’t persuade him of any point, but we both enjoyed dinner, so we might become more receptive to engaging in dialogues with other people in future.
