Keith, 48, Leeds
Occupation University lecturer in medical microbiology
Voting record Labour, Lib Dem, Green and Independent, but “never the Tories, and would certainly never vote for Reform”
Amuse bouche Part of his research is developing new antibiotics, and one of the places they look is in venom – which landed him a scientist of the week spot on an episode of the kids’ TV show Operation Ouch!
Amanda, 67, Doncaster
Occupation Family lawyer
Voting record Mostly Labour
Amuse bouche She adopted a baby from Romania, and before she even got home found out she was pregnant
For starters
Keith I was a bit nervous about who I was going to get – but Amanda was an excellent dinner companion.
Amanda I was anxious beforehand, trying to remember why on earth I was doing this! But I had a great evening, and we actually agreed on a lot.
Keith To start we had Thai fish cakes, sweet chilli ribs and lamb meatballs, and for main I had the pork and holy basil stir-fry topped with a fried egg. It was lovely. I also had a local beer called Little Critters.
Amanda The food was excellent – I’d never had Thai food before, so I got him to order. I had a red salmon curry, and we had a pancake and cake for pudding.
The big beef
Keith I think the monarchy should have been abolished a long time ago. I don’t like the idea of people getting treated differently by the accident of birth. Andrew, for example – I know he’s had his title stripped and had to move out of his big house, but there’s been no real consequences.
Amanda What would we replace it with? There is no power; they reign, they do not rule. They also bring in revenue simply by existing and having big events.
Keith Something Amanda said that I agree with is that although technically they have powers, they never really use them. It does offer a safety valve because they are – at least in their public-facing lives – politically neutral, unlike if we had President Farage. But I’d still get rid of them.
Amanda I respect that Keith is a republican, but I think you have to be realistic about what good it would do, rather than just the ideology.
Sharing plate
Keith I don’t like the co-opting of the St George’s flag and the union jack by the far right. I would take them down from public places because in certain circumstances they’re very obviously designed to intimidate. However, if people want to hang them on their own houses or march through town centres waving them around, they should be allowed to do it. I think if we banned that, it would become a symbol of oppression against people who aren’t really oppressed.
Amanda I hate seeing the flags up. If I were a great deal younger and more agile, I would get them down. There are some places where money has been spent to put them up on the lamp-posts officially. I really hate those. It reminds me of Germany in the 30s and 40s. Because what do you think it’s saying? “We are British, we are white.”
For afters
Keith I don’t think Starmer’s bold enough. The freezing of the tax thresholds, for example, which obviously was started under the Tories, is just a tax on the poor. I’ve never been so disappointed. I also find the Labour party’s obsession with Peter Mandelson utterly baffling. I think Starmer is a dead man walking. I don’t think Amanda is sold on that; she thinks he might survive.
Amanda I am possibly a little kinder to Keir Starmer. I think the main problem is that, while he’s an excellent lawyer, he’s not a politician, and it shows. But things are getting better – apart from the problems caused by the wars. There are still way too many potholes, but they are getting filled in.
Takeaway
Keith We should have more discussions with people who we don’t share 100% of our opinions with. I think society’s become culturally ghettoised – “I disagree with this person about this, which means I can’t associate with them” – and I think that’s really dangerous.
Amanda I enjoyed the conversation, and the challenge of being made to think again.
Additional reporting: Kitty Drake
Keith and Amanda ate at the Salutation in Doncaster
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