Conversing Over the Divide: An Meeting Between Opposing Perspectives

Meeting the Participants

One Participant: P., 34, London

Occupation Ex- government employee, now a learner focusing on community health

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

Interesting fact A sketch of a tea cup Peter did as a kid was once hung in the Irish National Gallery

Second Participant: Akshat, 43, from Harrow

Profession Risk manager in the construction sector

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

Interesting fact Akshat self-learned to read and write the Urdu language. “It has no practical use for me, I simply found it intriguing”

Initial impressions

The first participant Over the last 20 years, I’ve lived and worked in Qatar, East Asia, the US. The issues Peter and I talked about are UK-centric, but they are also universal, because people's lives more or less follows the same curve wherever it is. I anticipated a staunch 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 shared appetizers – fishy spring rolls, dumplings, daikon cakes with beansprouts, 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. I grew up in Dublin; I have resided in the US and the Iberian Peninsula. We connected through our love of London.

Key disagreements

Akshat I view migration like adding salt to a dish. With a small amount, the food tastes wonderful. Add too little or too much and the meal is insipid or overly seasoned.

Peter Akshat had a metaphor regarding seasoning. It would be a funny place to be if the government was selecting some preferred demographic of the country.

Akshat There are, sadly, people 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 go to a new country for opportunity, so you ought to relocate if you are able to support your own needs and your family.

The second participant We got lost with some of the facts. I don’t think it’s like you arrive and work and then following a half-decade you obtain permanent citizenship. No process is guaranteed. The climate has been unwelcoming for some time, application costs are quite expensive, there is an healthcare levy, eligibility for support is restricted. The red carpet isn’t rolled out for anyone. And regarding the recent changes, whereby you can’t bring your family over, it’s incredible to say: we want your work, but we reject you as a person. I think we have to have a certain level of compassion.

Common ground

Akshat Peter’s sceptical of unregulated markets. So am I, but at the same time, wealth creation benefits society and should be encouraged.

Peter We each have global outlooks. And we concurred that some parts of society – government, the media – thrive off creating conflict. We discovered shared understanding in basic principles and values.

For afters

The first participant Peter is of the opinion that since the United Kingdom benefitted from colonial times, it ought to provide compensation to affected nations. My view is simply: it is unfair to assess the past with present day morality; times are different, current society had no control of events 50 or 100 years ago. Let’s say the Britain was obliged to repay India, it would be a huge amount of funds. Is the UK in a position to do that? No.

Peter In the past, I don’t think there was much reckoning with the colonial past. For example, when I first moved to the United Kingdom, people had little knowledge of the Great Famine and the role that colonialism contributed to it. My view is decolonization is not merely about signing a cheque, it ought to involve examining past errors and our current responsibilities.

Final thoughts

Akshat It won’t change the my perspective, but I appreciate his worries. I talk to people regularly whose views are contrary to my own. It’s about bringing everyone to the same page, in order that everyone can strive for the improvement of the community.

Peter We were there for 150 minutes. He enjoyed a sweet treat 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 others in the coming times.