Ian, 69, Cornwall
Occupation Retired, after 25 years in the Royal Navy (including commanding two submarines) followed by 25 years in the healthcare sector
Voting record Ian didn’t vote while serving. Since then he’s voted Lib Dem or Conservative. In the EU referendum Ian voted leave
Amuse bouche Ian has designed a flatpack wendy house that he is building for his two new granddaughters
Kevin, 65, Cornwall
Occupation Retired professional (retail management, freelance artist, teacher, charity worker)
Voting record Mainly Lib Dem; never Conservative. In the referendum Kevin voted remain
Amuse bouche Kevin, who has already cycled from Land’s End to John O’Groats, will soon pedal through France from the Channel to the Mediterranean
For starters
Ian I would describe myself as a small‑c conservative. I am a reluctant follower of rules. I prefer to make my own decisions. I like to see gradual change rather than radical change.
Kevin I am a bit of a political maverick. I like to listen to all sides of the argument. We’ve got a very old democratic system, which I don’t think is capable of solving anything. I don’t think two-party politics is the way.
The big beef
Ian I voted in a nuanced way, 60:40, in favour of Brexit. I could see some of the downsides but in the end it came down to sovereignty. I feared the EU was becoming sclerotic with its own bureaucracy, with a tendency to wish to control sovereign states.
Kevin I understand the problems of the EU but it doesn’t mean I wanted to divorce myself from them. We have lost the single market, but the main reason I voted to remain was because I saw the Tory party as incapable of making Brexit happen. I saw that the whole thing would be an utter mess if it went the wrong way – and so far it’s proving that. In Cornwall there was a passionate vote against the EU, from fishing and farming. Many are now saying that what they were promised hasn’t been delivered. Flower growers have lost huge amounts of money because they haven’t had the pickers.
Ian I think that’s part of the short-term pain for longer-term gain. There will be visas for people to pick flowers and collect vegetables in due course. It will also give the opportunity to people in Cornwall to take those jobs. But we’ve come to rely on human beings when modern technology can do more. When you can find a Romanian flower picker prepared to work for the minimum wage, why invest to do something else?
Sharing plate
Kevin For me the Queen is just a figurehead, but we looked at countries with a president and couldn’t see the UK being comfortable following that path. The Dutch model, where they’re downsized, could be the way forward.
Ian I think I respect the monarchy as an institution more than the people who populate it. The Queen fulfils the role very well. I’m not convinced her son will do the same. He’s a bit like a spoiled elder child. And I’m not sure William is going in the right direction, either. He’s started to move into the celebrity/Instagram circuit. I think there needs to be a little bit of mystery.
Kevin Ian was saying that William is trying to model himself as a sort of David Beckham. I don’t even look at the royal family in that kind of detail.
For afters
Ian Kevin and I were born in the 50s; our parents were closely involved in the second world war and rationing, so we inherited a degree of stoicism that is no longer required. Perhaps people are less robust as a result.
Kevin We did speak a bit about how these days people wear badges for everything. I’ve got no problem with them taking the knee or wearing pink ribbons, but social media has meant that everyone has started having labels attached to them, from single mother to gluten intolerant. I work for a charity that helps people who have had mental health breakdowns, and another that provides meals for people on the streets. These people have real issues, not badges.
Takeaways
Ian Discussing differences in a calm and measured manner does work. We didn’t even need a facilitator to find common ground and enjoy each other’s company.
Kevin We did have some differences but we were also old enough to work out how to get round them. He is genuinely a very nice bloke.
Additional reporting: Rachel Obordo
• Ian and Kevin ate at The Alverton in Truro
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