London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Thursday, Jul 10, 2025

Dining across the divide: ‘Don’t take this the wrong way, but people relate to the English differently’

Dining across the divide: ‘Don’t take this the wrong way, but people relate to the English differently’

Cross-border differences, religion, Scottish independence, immigration: can two strangers find common ground over dinner?

Anne, 72, Argyll


Occupation Psychotherapist and writer

Voting record Voted Labour when she was young, but switched to Green some years ago. Now votes Scottish National party and Green

Amuse bouche Peter Sellers once nearly ran her over



Katie, 71, Argyll


Occupation Retired dentist

Voting record Has voted SNP and Green in the last three elections; previously voted Liberal Democrat. Way back in the dark ages, voted Conservative. Has never voted Labour

Amuse bouche Cycles the Cowal peninsula every day; it is “a proper cycle with proper hills”


For starters


Katie I’d taken a saltire face mask – I thought I might meet someone who didn’t believe in Scottish independence.

Anne I’m Irish; I only moved to Scotland because my husband is Scottish.

Katie We both started with the cullen skink – a wonderful Scottish dish made of smoked haddock, cream and potatoes. Then I had the scallops.

Anne We had the same starter, which was some kind of soup. Then I had the fishcakes and an elaborate dessert.


The big beef


Katie We started talking about immigration, and how vile the UK has become; I am shocked by the lack of compassion. Boris Johnson has seized on this narrative that appeals to a very small proportion of some nasty-minded people in England; it doesn’t have any resonance in Scotland.

Anne So I said something a bit contentious. My father loved walking along and saying hello to his neighbours – he lived near a girls’ school, which was very attractive to Muslim families; more and more came. He was this old gentleman, walking out and saying, “Good morning! Good morning!” and he used to say: “They never reply. And often I have to step into the gutter. I don’t like it here any more.” I really don’t like religion. It is always difficult when you have fundamentalist Christianity or fundamentalist Islam, and then they encounter a liberal society. I thought Katie might not agree with me, but we were genuinely interested in what the other had to say. Both of us thought immigration had been blown out of proportion by certain media in order to avoid dealing with the true crisis of poverty.

Katie Scotland has many problems, but they are not xenophobia or racism – they’re more sectarian. Anne was born and raised a Catholic, and I was born and raised Church of Scotland, so on that we should have been diametrically opposed. But not really, because I don’t care about religion and nor does she.


Sharing plate


Katie I am desperate for Scotland to become independent, so we can get away from the shambles that is the UK. Don’t take this the wrong way, but people relate to the English differently. If you go anywhere in the world, you find a much warmer welcome as a Scottish person than a British one. It brings a smile to somebody’s face – kilts, haggis, funny stories. It cheers people. Being English doesn’t cheer anyone.

Anne I am not fiercely pro-independence, because I do know that there are complexities with the economics. Katie’s very Scottish and fiercely independent. I think it would have come to blows if I had been against it. Where I’m coming from is Brexit, which was catastrophic – it just smashed something for me. That’s why I’ll vote for independence.



For afters


Anne I shared that I had gone to an ayahuasca ceremony. My son had died and I couldn’t get over it. I’d gone to this shaman and it really helped me. I could tell that it wouldn’t have been something Katie would have done, but she heard what I said. She was present.

Katie The circumstances of her using the shaman were very special – she was grieving over the death of a beloved son. I have a son, and cannot even begin to imagine how I would feel in those circumstances. I believe I would grab at anything.


Takeaways


Anne The way she listened, the way we spoke – it was like meeting a comrade. I hope she felt the same.

Katie Anne and I were like soul sisters. I hope she meant it as much as I did, but I really want to keep in touch. I’m normally a quiet, reserved person, but I just talked and talked and talked.


Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Severe Heatwave Claims 2,300 Lives Across Europe
NVIDIA Achieves Historic Milestone as First Company Valued at $4 Trillion
Declining Beer Consumption Signals Cultural Shift in Germany
Linda Yaccarino Steps Down as CEO of X After Two Years
US Imposes New Tariffs on Brazilian Exports Amid Political Tensions
Azerbaijan and Armenia are on the brink of a historic peace deal.
Emails Leaked: How Passenger Luggage Became a Side Income for Airport Workers
Polish MEP: “Dear Leftists - China is laughing at you, Russia is laughing, India is laughing”
BRICS Expands Membership with Indonesia and Ten New Partner Countries
Weinstein Victim’s Lawyer Says MeToo Movement Still Strong
U.S. Enacts Sweeping Tax and Spending Legislation Amid Trade Policy Shifts
Football Mourns as Diogo Jota and Brother André Silva Laid to Rest in Portugal
Labour Expected to Withdraw Support for Special Needs Funding Model
Leaked Audio Reveals Tory Aide Defending DEI Record
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
London Stock Exchange Faces Historic Low in Initial Public Offerings
A new online platform has emerged in the United Kingdom, specifically targeting Muslim men seeking virgin brides
Trump Celebrates Independence Day with B-2 Flyover and Signs Controversial Legislation
Boris Johnson Urges Conservatives to Ignore Farage
SNP Ordered to Update Single-Sex Space Guidance Within Days
Starmer Set to Reject Calls for Wealth Taxes
Stolen Century-Old Rolls-Royce Recovered After Hotel Theft
Macron Presses Starmer to Recognise Palestinian State
Labour Delayed Palestine Action Ban Over Riot Concerns
Swinney’s Tax Comments ‘Offensive to Scots’, Say Tories
High Street Retailers to Enforce Bans on Serial Shoplifters
Music Banned by Henry VIII to Be Performed After 500 Years
Steve Coogan Says Working Class Is Being ‘Ethnically Cleansed’
Home Office Admits Uncertainty Over Visa Overstayer Numbers
JD Vance Questions Mandelson Over Reform Party’s Rising Popularity
Macron to Receive Windsor Carriage Ride in Royal Gesture
Labour Accused of ‘Hammering’ Scots During First Year in Power
BBC Head of Music Stood Down Amid Bob Vylan Controversy
Corbyn Eyes Hard-Left Challenge to Starmer’s Leadership
London Tube Trains Suspended After Major Fire Erupts Nearby
Richard Kemp: I Felt Safer in Israel Under Attack Than in the UK
Cyclist Says Police Cited Human Rights Act for Riding No-Handed
China’s Central Bank Consults European Peers on Low-Rate Strategies
AI Raises Alarms Over Long-Term Job Security
Saudi Arabia Maintains Ties with Iran Despite Israel Conflict
Musk Battles to Protect Tesla Amid Trump Policy Threats
Air France-KLM Acquires Majority Stake in Scandinavian Airlines
UK Educators Sound Alarm on Declining Child Literacy
Shein Fined €40 Million in France Over Misleading Discounts
Brazil’s Lula Visits Kirchner During Argentina House Arrest
Trump Scores Legislative Win as House Passes Tax Reform Bill
Keir Starmer Faces Criticism After Rocky First Year in Power
DJI Launches Heavy-Duty Coaxial Quadcopter with 80 kg Lift Capacity
U.S. Senate Approves Major Legislation Dubbed the 'Big Beautiful Bill'
Largest Healthcare Fraud Takedown in U.S. History Announced by DOJ
×