David, a 70-year-old retired modern foreign languages tutor from York, and Janus, a 42-year-old volunteer hospital radio DJ from South Yorkshire, met for dinner at Piccolino in Sheffield as part of the Dining Across the Divide series. Despite initial apprehensions—David feared Janus might be a Tommy Robinson fan—they found common ground on many issues.
First Impressions and the Meal
David admitted, "I was so surprised by Janus. I had an idea he was a Tommy Robinson fan and I was thinking, 'Oh my God', but he was the most gentle, non-confrontational chap you can imagine." Janus, who voted for the English Democrats, was equally at ease: "I wasn't nervous. We got on well and agreed on almost everything."
The meal included fritto misto and pasta for David, while Janus opted for garlic bread, olives, and shellfish pasta. They shared a bottle of red wine, and David had coffee afterward. Both praised the food and service.
The Flag Debate
The conversation turned to the display of English flags. David expressed strong feelings: "I'm very, very affronted by the misuse of the English flag. It's been taken over by thugs. The people who are doing the flagging in York were threatening old ladies who were criticising them." He noted that flags were hung near York University to intimidate foreign students.
Janus disagreed: "I don't think hanging flags is intimidating and anyone getting offended is being stupid, really. This is England—putting out the cross of St George or the union jack should be normal." He added that flags should be reserved for special days like Independence Day or St Patrick's Day, not flown year-round.
David countered, "Several of the flagging brigade have been arrested previously for violent assault or murder; that says it all to me. My definition of a patriot is somebody who lives by the law, somebody who helps their neighbours, somebody who's basically a good egg."
English Parliament and Devolution
They discussed the need for an English parliament. Janus argued, "If devolution works for other parts of the UK, why not for us?" But David felt Westminster is already English-centric: "I don't agree that Westminster is England-centric; it's for British and international matters." Janus noted that the English Democrats originally focused on an English parliament but now talk too much about immigration and small boats, making them look like other rightwing parties.
Digital Exclusion
David reflected on digital divides: "I've never had to worry about digital exclusion. At work, I was the IT guru. Talking to Janus really revealed to me that if you're living on minimum wage or state top-ups, the digital world can be extremely difficult to enter." Janus agreed, noting that too many jobs require IT skills and that college courses now demand app-based work. He advocated for a return to textbooks and handwriting.
Takeaways
David concluded, "It really made me think about our contrasting worlds of advantage and disadvantage. If you come from a deprived area, I can see where thoughts of supporting radical parties might come from." Janus added, "We had a good laugh and I enjoyed meeting someone who, even if we had opposing views, cared about a lot of the same things as me. I'd be happy to do that again."
