Callum and Emma met for dinner to discuss their differing views on the monarchy and the national flag. Callum, a pro-royalist, argued that the monarchy is an institution that cannot be easily abolished, citing the armed forces' allegiance to the monarch as a safeguard against corruption. Emma, a Canadian who votes Liberal in Canada and Labour in the UK, questioned the logic of swearing allegiance to a monarch, suggesting that loyalty should be to the nation instead.
On the topic of the flag, Callum defended the St George's Cross as a symbol of national identity, arguing that immigrants should not expect the flag to be taken down. Emma, however, felt that the flag is often used for non-neutral purposes and described seeing it as 'yucky,' though she said she does not feel threatened by it.
The conversation also touched on the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR). Callum expressed concerns about overreach by unelected bodies, while Emma countered by asking why he would want to leave the ECHR if he did not support torture, referencing Article 3. Despite their disagreements, both acknowledged the other's perspective, with Emma noting that Callum 'contained multitudes' and was 'very anti-misogyny.'
