Dining Over the Gap: A Meeting Between Different Perspectives
Meeting the Participants
First Diner: P., 34, from London
Occupation Ex- government employee, now a learner studying public health
Political history Supported the Green Party last time (and a member of the party); previously Labour. Identifies as âprogressive, and globalist instead of patrioticâ
Interesting fact A sketch of a tea cup he created as a kid was once hung in the Irish National Gallery
Second Diner: A., 43, from Harrow
Profession Risk manager in the infrastructure industry
Voting record Originally from India, Akshat has lived in the UK for five years, and supported Conservative. Describes himself as âslightly right of centreâ
Interesting fact Akshat self-learned to read and write Urdu. âIt has no practical use for me, I was just fascinatedâ
For starters
Akshat During the past 20 years, Iâve lived and worked in the Middle East, South Korea, the US. The issues we discussed are focused on Britain, but they are also global, because human life more or less follows the same curve across the world. I anticipated a staunch liberal, but Peter wasnât all gung ho â we had a good, rational discussion. I drank beer, he opted for mojitos.
The second participant We split starters â fishy spring 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 being a snowflake? Weâre both immigrants. My childhood was in Dublin; Iâve lived in the United States and the Iberian Peninsula. We connected through our affection for London.
The big beef
The first participant I look at migration similar to sprinkling salt to a meal. With a small amount, the dish tastes wonderful. Add too little or too much and the dish is insipid or overly seasoned.
Peter Akshat had a metaphor regarding seasoning. It would be a funny place to exist if the government was selecting some ideal ethnic makeup of the country.
Akshat There are, sadly, people escaping oppression, but many people arriving in the UK are those seeking better finances who may not contribute much and can burden the benefit system. No one compels you to go to a new country for prospects, so you should only go if you are able to support yourself and your relatives.
Peter We became confused with some of the facts. I donât think itâs like you arrive and are employed and then following a half-decade you obtain indefinite leave to remain. No process is guaranteed. Itâs been a hostile environment for some time, visa fees are quite expensive, there is an healthcare levy, access to benefits is limited. There is no special treatment for anyone. And concerning the new policies, whereby you canât bring your family over, it is astonishing to state: we want your work, but we donât want you. I believe we have to have a certain level of compassion.
Common ground
The first participant Peterâs sceptical of unchecked capitalism. I am, too, but at the same time, wealth creation benefits society and ought to be promoted.
Peter We each have global outlooks. And we concurred that certain elements of society â government, the press â thrive off creating conflict. We did find common ground in fundamentals and values.
Dessert and debate
Akshat Peter believes that because the UK profited from colonial times, it ought to provide reparations to those countries. My view is simply: it is unfair to assess history with present day morality; times are different, modern people had no control of what happened 50 or 100 years ago. Letâs say the UK was obliged to repay India, it would be a significant sum of funds. Is the UK in a position to manage that? Certainly not.
Peter Until recently, I donât think adequate reflection occurred with colonial history. For example, upon my arrival to the United Kingdom, people had little knowledge of the Great Famine and the part that imperial rule contributed to it. I hold that decolonisation is not merely about issuing payments, it ought to involve examining past errors and our current responsibilities.
Takeaways
Akshat It may not alter the way I think, but I understand his worries. I converse with people regularly with opinions are opposite to mine. Itâs about uniting people to the same page, so that all of us can work towards the improvement of the community.
The second participant We were there for 150 minutes. Akshat had dessert and I had some sweet Japanese wine. I didnât persuade him of anything, but we each liked dinner, so we could hopefully be more open to engaging in dialogues with other people in future.
