Margaret, a 22-year-old trainee accountant and Labour member, and Clare, a 64-year-old company director and Conservative supporter, met for dinner in London as part of the Dining Across the Divide series. Despite their political differences, they discovered common ground on several issues, including the leadership of Andy Burnham and the challenges facing young people.
First Impressions and Political Differences
Margaret admitted to being nervous before the meeting, as she knew Clare was a fan of Kemi Badenoch. "I know Conservatives, but don’t know anyone who would say that about themselves," she said. However, she found the conversation interesting, noting, "We agreed on a lot." Clare was equally positive, saying, "We clicked on the fact that we both love the idea of dining across the divide."
The two women ordered different meals, with Clare enjoying a watermelon carpaccio, mussels with chips, and a peach sorbet, while Margaret, a vegan, had a mock sushi dish made from watermelon, fries, and a blackcurrant sorbet. They shared a bottle of orange wine.
Views on Kemi Badenoch and Andy Burnham
Clare praised Badenoch, describing her as "very courageous, focused and honest," and noted that her party faces significant challenges. Margaret, however, called Badenoch "a contrarian," citing her stance on supporting the US and Israel in the conflict in Iran as an example of going against the government's position.
Both women expressed positive feelings about Andy Burnham's leadership, with Clare saying she is "always an optimist" and not a "basher." Margaret was surprised by Clare's enthusiasm, saying, "She was more excited about Burnham than I was." Margaret added that she remains cautious about getting excited over political figures, recalling her teenage years in left-leaning Liverpool during Jeremy Corbyn's leadership, which she described as "almost cultish fever."
Women, Discrimination, and Opportunities
Clare shared that she never felt discrimination as a woman in the Conservative party, but acknowledged that data shows women earn less than men, indicating discrimination exists. Margaret noted that despite Clare's success and political stance, they discussed how society was built by men for men, and that women entering these spaces might be seen as positive discrimination, which she argued is "not such a bad thing."
On the topic of young people, Clare described the housing situation as "awful," noting Margaret lives in a warehouse with others. Margaret, however, focused on opportunities, saying that being from Liverpool, she had to work hard to move to London for opportunities. At one point, Clare told Margaret, "I don’t want to offend you, but you do seem to be quite privileged." Margaret disagreed, saying she wasn't offended but felt she had to work "very, very hard" to get where she is.
Takeaways and Common Ground
Clare concluded that it's increasingly difficult to meet people with different views, especially for younger generations who grew up online, and encouraged everyone to engage in such conversations, saying, "There is common ground in everything." Margaret appreciated the experience, noting that despite Clare's political journey from Democrat to Conservative, she found her "wonderful and well-meaning." She said, "There are so many different kinds of people in the world, and most are wonderful and well-meaning when you actually get down to it."
The meal took place at The Bull and Last in London NW5. Additional reporting by Kitty Drake.
