Conversing Across the Gap: An Meeting Between Different Perspectives

Introducing the Participants

One Participant: P., 34, London

Profession Former government employee, currently a learner studying public health

Voting record Voted the Green Party last time (also a affiliate of the party); formerly Labour. Identifies as “progressive, and globalist instead of nationalist”

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

Second Participant: Akshat, 43, from Harrow

Occupation Risk analyst in the infrastructure industry

Voting record Hailing from the Indian subcontinent, Akshat has lived in the United Kingdom for five years, and supported Conservative. Describes himself as “somewhat right of centre”

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

Initial impressions

Akshat During the past 20 years, I’ve lived and worked in Qatar, South Korea, the United States. The issues Peter and I talked about are UK-centric, but they are also universal, because human life largely evolve similarly wherever it is. I was expecting someone very liberal, but he was quite measured – we had a good, rational discussion. I drank beer, he opted for mojitos.

The second participant We shared appetizers – fishy spring rolls, dumplings, daikon cakes with beansprouts, which were superb. I was a little nervous, as I think he was too. Would he criticize 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 the capital.

Key disagreements

Akshat I look at immigration similar to sprinkling salt to a dish. When you add a little bit, the food is delicious. Use too little or too much and the meal is insipid or overly seasoned.

Peter Akshat used an analogy about salt. It would be a funny place to be if the state was selecting some ideal ethnic makeup of the nation.

The first participant There are, unfortunately, people escaping oppression, but many migrants arriving in the UK are economic migrants 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 your own needs and your family.

The second participant We became confused with some of the facts. I don’t think it is the case that you come over and are employed and then following a half-decade you obtain indefinite leave to remain. No process is guaranteed. It’s been a hostile environment since Theresa May, visa fees are really high, there is an healthcare levy, eligibility for support is limited. There is no special treatment for anyone. And concerning the new policies, whereby family reunification is restricted, it is astonishing to state: we want your work, but we don’t want you. I think we must maintain a degree of humanity.

Sharing plate

The first participant Peter’s sceptical of unregulated markets. I am, too, but at the same time, economic growth benefits society and ought to be promoted.

Peter We’re both internationalist. And we concurred that certain elements of society – politics, the press – benefit from stoking division. We did find shared understanding in fundamentals and ethics.

Dessert and debate

Akshat Peter is of the opinion that since the United Kingdom benefitted from colonial times, it should pay compensation to affected nations. My view is simply: it is unfair to assess the past with present day morality; times are different, current society were not responsible of what happened 50 or 100 years ago. Suppose the Britain was obliged to repay the Indian nation, it would be a huge amount of money. Is Britain able to manage that? No.

Peter In the past, I believe there was much reckoning with the colonial past. For example, when I first moved to the United Kingdom, the public had little knowledge of the Irish famine and the part that imperial rule played in it. I hold that decolonisation is not merely about issuing payments, it ought to involve looking at what went wrong and where we should be now.

Takeaways

The first participant It won’t change the way I think, but I appreciate his worries. I converse with individuals every day whose views are contrary to mine. The goal is uniting people to the same page, in order that all of us can work towards the betterment of the community.

Peter We remained for 150 minutes. Akshat had dessert and I drank a Japanese dessert wine. I did not convince him of anything, but we both enjoyed dinner, so we could hopefully be more receptive to having conversations with other people in the coming times.