Profession Ex- civil servant, now a student studying community health
Political history Supported the Green Party recently (and a member of the political group); previously Labour. Identifies as “left, and globalist rather than nationalist”
Amuse bouche A drawing of a tea cup Peter did as a child was once hung in the National Gallery of Ireland
Occupation Risk manager in the infrastructure industry
Political history Originally from India, Akshat has lived in the United Kingdom for half a decade, and supported the Conservative Party. Describes himself as “somewhat right of centre”
Interesting fact Akshat self-learned to understand the Urdu language. “It has no practical use for me, I was just fascinated”
The first participant Over the last 20 years, I have resided and been employed in the Middle East, South Korea, the United States. The topics we talked about are focused on Britain, but they are also universal, because people's lives largely follows the same curve across the world. I anticipated someone very liberal, but Peter wasn’t all gung ho – we engaged in a productive, logical conversation. I drank beer, Peter had mojitos.
The second participant We split starters – seafood rolls, dumplings, radish cakes with sprouts, which were superb. I felt somewhat anxious, as I believe Akshat was. Would he criticize me for being a snowflake? We each have immigrant backgrounds. My childhood was in Dublin; I’ve lived in the United States and the Iberian Peninsula. We connected through our affection for London.
The first participant I view immigration like sprinkling salt to a meal. When you add a little bit, the food tastes wonderful. Use too little or too much and the dish is either too bland or too salty.
The second participant Akshat used an analogy regarding salt. It would be odd to exist if the state was choosing some ideal ethnic makeup of the country.
Akshat There are, unfortunately, people escaping oppression, 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 different nation for opportunity, so you ought to relocate if you are able to support yourself and your family.
The second participant We became confused with certain details. I don’t think it is the case that you arrive and are employed and then after five years you obtain indefinite leave to remain. No process is guaranteed. It’s been a hostile environment for some time, visa fees are really high, there is an NHS surcharge, access to benefits is limited. The red carpet isn’t rolled out for anybody. And concerning the new policies, whereby family reunification is restricted, it’s incredible to say: we desire your labor, but we reject you as a person. I believe we must maintain a certain level of compassion.
The first participant Peter’s sceptical of unregulated markets. I am, too, but at the same time, wealth creation helps communities and should be encouraged.
The second participant We’re both internationalist. And we agreed that some parts of society – government, the media – thrive off stoking division. We did find shared understanding in basic principles and values.
The first participant Peter is of the opinion that because the UK benefitted from the colonial era, it ought to provide compensation to those countries. I simply think: you cannot judge the past with contemporary ethics; times are different, modern people were not responsible of events decades or a century ago. Let’s say the UK was obliged to repay India, it would be a huge amount of funds. Is Britain able to manage that? No.
The second participant In the past, I believe adequate reflection occurred with the colonial past. As an instance, when I first moved to the UK, people weren’t aware of the Great Famine and the role that colonialism played in it. My view is decolonization isn’t just about signing a cheque, it ought to involve looking at past errors and our current responsibilities.
The first participant It won’t change the way I think, but I appreciate Peter’s concerns. I talk to people every day whose views are contrary to mine. It’s about bringing everyone to the common understanding, in order that everyone can work towards the betterment of society.
Peter We were there for 150 minutes. He enjoyed a sweet treat and I drank some sweet Japanese wine. I didn’t persuade him of anything, but we both enjoyed the meal, so we might become more open to engaging in dialogues with other people in future.
Elara is a financial strategist with over a decade of experience in wealth management and entrepreneurship.
