Conversing Over the Divide: A Meeting Between Opposing Perspectives

Meeting the Participants

One Diner: Peter, 34, from London

Profession Former government employee, currently a learner studying community health

Voting record Supported Green recently (and a affiliate of the party); previously Labour. Identifies as “progressive, and globalist instead of patriotic”

Amuse bouche A sketch of a tea cup he did as a kid was once hung in the Irish National Gallery

Other Participant: A., 43, from Harrow

Occupation Risk analyst in the infrastructure industry

Voting record Originally from the Indian subcontinent, Akshat has resided in the UK for five years, and voted Conservative. Identifies as “slightly moderate right”

Interesting fact Akshat self-learned to understand the Urdu language. “It has no practical use for me, I was just fascinated”

For starters

Akshat Over the last two decades, I have resided and been employed in Qatar, East Asia, the United States. The issues Peter and I discussed are focused on Britain, but they are also universal, because people's lives more or less evolve similarly across the world. I anticipated someone very liberal, but Peter wasn’t all gung ho – we engaged in a productive, logical conversation. I had a couple of beers, he opted for mojitos.

Peter We split appetizers – fishy spring rolls, dumplings, radish cakes with sprouts, which were superb. I was a little nervous, 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 have resided in the US and the Iberian Peninsula. We connected through our love of London.

The big beef

Akshat I look at immigration like sprinkling salt to a meal. With a small amount, the dish is delicious. Add too little or too much and the dish is either too bland or too salty.

Peter Akshat used an analogy regarding salt. It would be odd to be if the government was selecting some ideal ethnic makeup of the country.

Akshat There are, unfortunately, individuals fleeing persecution, but a lot of people arriving in the United Kingdom are those seeking better finances who may not contribute much and can weigh on the welfare system. Nobody forces you to move to a new country for prospects, so you ought to relocate if you are able to support yourself and your family.

The second participant We became confused with some of the facts. In my view it is the case that you come over and work and then following a half-decade you obtain indefinite leave to remain. Nothing is automatic. It’s been a hostile environment for some time, application costs are really high, there is an healthcare levy, access to benefits is restricted. The red carpet isn’t rolled out for anybody. And regarding the new policies, whereby you can’t bring your family over, it is astonishing to state: we want your work, but we don’t want you. I believe we must maintain a certain level of humanity.

Common ground

The first participant Peter’s sceptical of unregulated markets. So am I, but at the same time, economic growth helps communities and should be encouraged.

Peter We each have global outlooks. And we agreed that some parts of society – government, the press – thrive off stoking division. We discovered shared understanding in fundamentals and ethics.

Dessert and debate

Akshat Peter is of the opinion that because the United Kingdom profited from colonial times, it should pay compensation to those countries. I simply think: you cannot judge history with present day morality; times are different, modern people were not responsible of what happened 50 or 100 years ago. Suppose the Britain was obliged to repay India, it would be a huge amount of money. Is the UK in a position to do that? Certainly not.

The second participant In the past, I don’t think adequate reflection occurred with colonial history. For example, upon my arrival to the UK, the public weren’t aware of the Great Famine and the part that colonialism played in it. I hold that decolonization isn’t just about issuing payments, it ought to involve looking at what went wrong and where we should be now.

Takeaways

Akshat It may not alter the my perspective, but I appreciate his worries. I talk to people every day with opinions are contrary to my own. It’s about bringing everyone to the common understanding, in order that all of us can work towards the improvement of the community.

The second participant We remained for 150 minutes. Akshat had dessert and I drank some sweet Japanese wine. I did not convince him of any point, but we both enjoyed dinner, so we might become more receptive to engaging in dialogues with others in the coming times.