Conversing Over the Gap: A Encounter Between Different Perspectives
Meeting the Participants
One Participant: P., 34, from London
Occupation Former government employee, now a learner studying community health
Political history Supported the Green Party last time (and a member of the party); formerly Labour. Describes himself as “progressive, and internationalist instead of patriotic”
Amuse bouche A drawing of a tea cup Peter did as a child was once displayed in the National Gallery of Ireland
Second Participant: A., 43, from Harrow
Occupation Risk analyst in the construction sector
Voting record Hailing from the Indian subcontinent, Akshat has resided in the United Kingdom for half a decade, and supported Conservative. Identifies as “slightly right of centre”
Amuse bouche He taught himself to read and write Urdu. “I have no use for it, I was just fascinated”
For starters
Akshat Over the last 20 years, I’ve lived and worked in Qatar, East Asia, the United States. The issues Peter and I discussed are UK-centric, but they are also global, because people's lives more or less evolve similarly across the world. I anticipated someone very liberal, but he was quite measured – we had a good, rational discussion. I drank beer, Peter had mojitos.
Peter We split starters – seafood rolls, steamed buns, radish cakes with sprouts, which were superb. I felt somewhat anxious, as I believe Akshat was. Was he going to attack me for being a snowflake? We’re both immigrants. My childhood was in Dublin; I have resided in the US and Spain. We connected through our love of London.
The big beef
The first participant I view immigration similar to adding salt to a meal. When you add a little bit, the food is delicious. Add too little or too much and the dish is either too bland or too salty.
Peter Akshat used an analogy about salt. It would be odd to exist if the state was selecting some preferred demographic of the country.
Akshat There are, unfortunately, people fleeing persecution, but many migrants arriving in the United Kingdom are those seeking better finances who may not add significant value and can weigh on the benefit system. Nobody forces you to go to a new country for opportunity, so you should only go if you can take care of yourself and your relatives.
The second participant We got lost with some of the facts. In my view it is the case that you come over and are employed and then following a half-decade you obtain permanent citizenship. Nothing is automatic. It’s been a hostile environment since Theresa May, visa fees are really high, you pay an healthcare levy, eligibility for support is limited. There is no special treatment for anybody. And concerning the recent changes, whereby you can’t bring your family over, it is astonishing to state: we desire your labor, but we reject you as a person. I think we have to have a certain level of humanity.
Common ground
Akshat Peter’s sceptical of unregulated markets. So am I, but simultaneously, wealth creation helps communities and should be encouraged.
The second participant We’re both internationalist. And we agreed that certain elements of the community – politics, the press – thrive off stoking division. We discovered common ground in basic principles and values.
For afters
The first participant Peter is of the opinion that since the UK benefitted from the colonial era, it should pay reparations to affected nations. I simply think: it is unfair to assess the past with present day morality; times are different, modern people had no control of events decades or a century ago. Let’s say the UK had to compensate India, it would be a significant sum of money. Is the UK in a position to manage that? No.
Peter Until recently, I believe there was much reckoning with colonial history. For example, when I first moved to the UK, people had little knowledge of the Irish famine and the role that imperial rule played in it. My view is decolonisation is not merely about issuing payments, it ought to involve looking at what went wrong and our current responsibilities.
Final thoughts
Akshat It may not alter the way I think, but I appreciate his worries. I converse with individuals regularly with opinions are contrary to my own. The goal is uniting people to the common understanding, so that everyone can strive for the betterment of society.
Peter We were there for two and a half hours. He enjoyed a sweet treat and I drank a Japanese dessert wine. I didn’t persuade him of any point, but we each liked dinner, so we could hopefully be more receptive to engaging in dialogues with others in future.