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Introducing the Individuals

First Participant: Peter, 34, London

Occupation Former civil servant, currently a student studying community health

Political history Voted the Green Party last time (also a member of the political group); previously Labour Party. Identifies as “progressive, and globalist instead of nationalist”

Amuse bouche A drawing of a teacup Peter created as a child was once hung in the National Gallery of Ireland

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Other Participant: Akshat, 43, Harrow

Profession Risk manager in the infrastructure industry

Political history Originally from the Indian subcontinent, Akshat has resided in the UK for half a decade, and supported the Conservative Party. Identifies as “somewhat moderate right”

Amuse bouche He taught himself to understand the Urdu language. “It has no practical use for me, I simply found it intriguing”

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For starters

Akshat Over the last two decades, I have resided and been employed in Qatar, East Asia, the US. The topics we discussed are UK-centric, but they are also global, because human life more or less evolve similarly wherever it is. I anticipated someone very liberal, but he was quite measured – we engaged in a productive, logical conversation. I drank beer, Peter had mojitos.

Peter We shared starters – fishy spring rolls, dumplings, daikon cakes with beansprouts, which were superb. I felt somewhat anxious, as I believe he was too. Was he going to attack me for being a snowflake? We’re both immigrants. I grew up in Dublin; I’ve lived in the US and the Iberian Peninsula. We connected through our affection for the capital.

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The big beef

Akshat I view migration like adding salt to a meal. With a small amount, the dish is delicious. Use too little or too much and the meal is either too bland or too salty.

Peter He had a metaphor regarding salt. It would be a funny place to exist if the state was choosing some ideal ethnic makeup of the nation.

The first participant There are, sadly, people escaping oppression, but a lot of migrants arriving in the United Kingdom 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 opportunity, so you ought to relocate if you are able to support your own needs and your relatives.

The second participant We became confused with some of the facts. In my view it is the case that you arrive and are employed and then after five years you get indefinite leave to remain. Nothing is automatic. The climate has been unwelcoming for some time, visa fees are really high, there is an healthcare levy, eligibility for support is limited. There is no special treatment for anybody. And regarding the recent changes, under which 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 have to have a degree of humanity.

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Sharing plate

Akshat Peter’s sceptical of unregulated markets. I am, too, but at the same time, wealth creation helps communities and should be encouraged.

Peter We’re both internationalist. And we agreed that certain elements of the community – government, the media – thrive off stoking division. We discovered common ground in fundamentals and ethics.

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Dessert and debate

Akshat Peter is of the opinion that since the United Kingdom benefitted from the colonial era, it should pay compensation to affected nations. My view is simply: it is unfair to assess the past with contemporary ethics; times are different, modern people were not responsible of what happened decades or a century ago. Suppose the UK had to compensate India, it would be a huge amount of money. Is Britain able to do that? No.

Peter Until recently, I believe there was much reckoning with the colonial past. For example, when I first moved to the United Kingdom, the public weren’t aware of the Great Famine and the role that imperial rule played in it. I hold that decolonization isn’t just about issuing payments, it should be about looking at what went wrong and our current responsibilities.

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Takeaways

The first participant It may not alter the way I think, but I understand his worries. I talk to people every day whose views are opposite to my own. It’s about bringing everyone to the common understanding, in order that everyone can strive for the improvement of the community.

Peter We remained for 150 minutes. Akshat had dessert and I had some sweet Japanese wine. I didn’t persuade him of anything, but we each liked dinner, so we might become more receptive to having conversations with others in the coming times.