British Parliamentary Debate

British Parliamentary debating features eight speakers to a debate: there are two teams
of two speakers on each side. It is a team sport: debates are won and lost by teams, not
by individuals.Positions are allocated on a random basis: teams do not choose the side
of the debate they are on.

The World Universities Debating Championships (“WUDC”)

The World Universities Debating Championships (“WUDC”) is the largest and most
prestigious debating competition in the world.

It is held in the British Parliamentary format and occurs during the Post-Christmas
holidays. Over the first three days of debating, nine debates are held, three on each
day. All the teams compete in all of these nine debates. At the end of the third day,
New Year’s Eve, the 32 best performing teams “break” away from the rest.

BEFORE THE DEBATE: The Draw

Generally, topics are announced 15 minutes prior to the debate itself.

Competitors gather together for the “draw” before each round, which is shown on a
screen or series of screens.
The draw says which teams will be in which debates
(or ”rounds”).
This will show:
The room number for each debate
The four teams and their positions
The judges in the rooms

The “Motion”

After the draw is shown, the subject of the debate will be announced. This is called
the “motion” and is expressed in the format “This House…” followed by a statement
of belief or will, which the proposition teams will support and the opposition teams
oppose.

Teams should not be judged by adjudicators from their own institutions, or by

relatives.

In some formats of debating, competitors may declare that they do not wish to be
judged by a particular adjudicator or adjudicators (this is sometimes called “striking”
or “scratching” a judge).

Prepare for the Debate

After the motion is announced, teams go and prepare for the debate.When a team does
not arrive for the debate on time, adjudicators call for a runner from the organizing
team who will supply a dummy/swing team to fill their place. If the team has not
arrived five minutes after the round was due to start, they are replaced and may not
enter the round after this time.

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When this happens, the adjudicator draws a line through the name of the absent team
and the individuals within it and replaces their team name with that of the dummy
team and their individual names with the names of the individuals on the dummy
team.

Pre-Debate Preparation

Plan what you’re going to say = what are your arguments?

Attempt to predict what they’re going to say = what’s their rebuttal?
Plan your response to that = what’s your rebuttal to their rebuttal?
Which points for your team will be delivered by you, and which will be delivered by
your partner?
How will your speech be structured?
These are questions you should have answers to by the end of your fifteen minutes.
Your ultimate aim should be to use that preparation time merely to brush up on facts
and arguments you’ve already collated, to structure them and divide them between
you and your partner.

Speakers may use whatever printed material they wish to prepare. There is no limit on
the amount of notes speakers may use to prepare or take into the debate. Electronic
dictionaries are allowed. All other kinds of electronic equipment (e.g. laptops) are not
allowed.

IN THE DEBATE: Order of Speeches

Speakers speak in the following order:

1st Speaker, 1st proposition team (the “Prime Minister”)
1st Speaker, 1st opposition team (the “Leader of the Opposition”)
2nd Speaker, 1st proposition team (the “Deputy Prime Minister”)
2nd Speaker, 1st opposition team (the “Deputy Leader of the Opposition”)
1st Speaker, 2nd proposition team (the “Member of Government”)
1st Speaker, 2nd opposition team (the “Member of the Opposition”)
2nd Speaker, 2nd proposition team (the “Government Whip”)
2nd Speaker, 2nd opposition team (the “Opposition Whip”)

IN THE DEBATE: Order of Speeches

1st Speaker, 1st proposition team (the “Prime Minister”)

2nd Speaker, 1st proposition team (the “Deputy Prime Minister”)
1st Speaker, 2nd proposition team (the “Member of Government”)
2nd Speaker, 2nd proposition team (the “Government Whip”)
1st Speaker, 1st opposition team (the “Leader of the Opposition”)
2nd Speaker, 1st opposition team (the “Deputy Leader of the Opposition”)
1st Speaker, 2nd opposition team (the “Member of the Opposition”)
2nd Speaker, 2nd opposition team (the “Opposition Whip”)

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Points of Information

British Parliamentary debating features no audience participation or intervention by

judges.
However, between the first and last minute of a speech, debaters on the other side
may attempt to interject by offering a ‘Point of Information’ (“PoI”).
The debater giving the speech has total control over their speech: they choose whether
or not to accept the ‘Point of Information’ and if not accepted the debater offering it
should sit down immediately.
If accepted by the speaker, the debater offering the point may deliver a brief
interjection (never more than 15 seconds).

‘Points of Information’ are extremely important; along with discussing the matter
raised by other speakers.
They are the prime method of showing involvement throughout a debate.

Speakers should always stand up to make PoI’s.

They can be positive: Offering a new argument or example for your side.

Highlighting an argument already delivered by your side that they have ignored .

Or negative: Displaying inconsistency in an opposition speech or between speeches,

giving a fact or precedent that stands against their argument.

Pointing out something they’ve got wrong.

Taking points: whilst the speaker giving the speech has the absolute right to accept or
decline points just as he wishes, he should aim to accept two points during a seven
minute speech.

Not taking any ‘Points of Information’ during your speech is a serious fault.

SPEAKER ROLES

Positions in the debate come with different responsibilities.

Do your job.

Fulfilling your role in the debate is the fundamental yardstick by which you will be
judged.

Position-Specific Responsibilities: Defining

First Proposition:
The first speakers define for their sides and delivers arguments for their teams. They
also point to (“flag”) the points their partner will deliver.

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The First Proposition team speaker (the Prime Minister) has a particular job to do: he
defines the debate. He sets out what the “line” of the proposition in the debate will be.

Things you shouldn’t do - Truisms

There are three truisms, and all are to be avoided:

First, the self-evident: “Wednesday is after Tuesday.”
Secondly, the self-proving: e.g. “The President should have the power to do x because
the power to do x rests with the President”.
Thirdly, most common in debating, the moral truism, something to which no real
opposition exists: “genocide is bad.”
It’s not fair to take too much of the moral high ground: you cannot ask the opposition
to take a position that is unarguable or absurd.

First Opposition

The First Opposition speaker sets out the opposition to the proposal. A frequent
question is, should I challenge the proposition’s definition? (This is allowed, at least
in theory). A good rule of thumb is, don’t do it.
If the definition is good, it will count against you that you don’t just get on with it. If
it’s bad, you’ll be given credit for ensuring a debate can nevertheless occur.
Debates about the definition of the debate are bad and horrible to watch and even the
winners get low points.
Only the First Speaker of the First Opposition team is allowed to challenge the
motion. If they do not, the rest of the opposition bench is bound by that decision.

It is legitimate to define where no definition has been offered.

Here, the First Opposition speaker takes on the burden of establishing the debate, at
short notice.
It’s first Opposition’s job to set out the opposition’s “line.”
Whilst First Proposition should have put forward a case with broad, contestable
principles, it’s down to First Opposition to show what the disagreement is between the
two sides: to establish the “Clash” in the debate.
Listen to what First Prop says, and tell us why you disagree with it.

Seconding

Speakers in the Second Position on the table will have (should have) been allotted
points by the first speaker. These points must be delivered: it is a serious teamwork
flaw if a point to come is promised by one member of the team and not delivered by
the other.
They also rebut the material provided by the speaker(s) on the other side that have
spoken before them.
A fault common to speeches made in the second positions is giving too much time to
rebuttal and not enough to substantive material: though there are no hard and fast
rules as to the division of a speech, if more than half a speeches is spent rebutting,
usually not enough time is left for substantive arguments.

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Speakers in the Third Position Extending

Speakers in the third position on the table have an interesting job. In essence, their
task is to show what their team has to offer that is new.
The nature of the 3rd speaker position reflects the subtlety of the British format:
material must be new, but not too new; different, but not too different.
3rd speaker approaches can take two forms:
• New arguments/examples
• New analysis of arguments and examples that have already been delivered

Speakers in the Fourth Position: Summating

Last speakers give a different kind of speech. Their job is to offer a summation of the
debate. Ostensibly, they look back and tell us what happened in the debate.

Given this, whilst new examples are always welcome, summary speakers should not
advance new arguments.

Summary speeches may be delivered by addressing the debate speaker by speaker, or

by themes, or in another way you prefer: it’s really a matter of personal choice.

Roles: A Summary

First Speaker, First Proposition Team (1st Prop/Prime Minister)

• Defines the grounds of the debate
• Delivers own substantive material
• Flags the arguments to be delivered by his partner

First Speaker, First Opposition Team (1st Opp/Leader of the Opposition)

• Defines the opposition’s grounds
• Rebuts 1st Prop
• Delivers own substantive material
• Flags the arguments to be delivered by his partner

Roles: A Summary (Cont…)

Second Speaker, First Proposition Team (2nd Prop/Deputy Prime Minister)
• Rebuts 1st Opp
• Delivers own substantive material, using the labels his partner gave for it, and makes
reference back to partner’s material.

Second Speaker, First Opposition Team (2nd Opp/Deputy Leader of the Opposition)
• Rebuts the arguments of the 1st Prop team, with particular responsibility for
rebutting 2nd Prop.
• Delivers own substantive material, using the labels his partner gave for it, and makes
reference back to partner’s material.

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Roles: A Summary (Cont…)

First Speaker, Second Proposition Team (3rd Prop/Member of Government)

• Delivers own substantive material
• Does not have to say the word ‘Extension’
• Rebuts the arguments of the speakers before him, with particular responsibility to
rebut 2nd Opp

First Speaker, Second Opposition Team (3rd Opp/Member of the Opposition)

• Rebuts the arguments of the speakers before him, with particular responsibility to
deal with the extension from 3rd Prop.
• Delivers own substantive material
• May deliver an ‘extension’

Roles: A Summary (Cont…)

Second Speaker, Second Proposition Team (4th Prop/Government Whip)
• Summates for his side
• Shouldn’t offer new material (subject to discussion above)

Second Speaker, Second Opposition Team (4th Opp/Opposition Whip)

• Summates for his side.
• Definitely, definitely offers no new material.

Universal Responsibilities

The universal responsibilities are:

Rebuttal
Structure
Timing
Points of Information
Teamwork

Rebuttal

All speakers except the First Speaker on the Proposition have a responsibility to rebut
(i.e. attack the arguments of) the speakers before them on the other side.
You should look to hit the other side’s good points, not just their weak ones your
biggest responsibility is to knock down their important arguments.

Structure

Having a clear idea of what you’re going to say helps the audience, and helps you.
A lack of structure is probably the thing that damages speeches more than any other –
basic errors in this area often lose debates for speakers and teams simply because
there isn’t enough clarity in their delivery.

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Structure is much easier to get right than one would think. Say what you’re going to
say, say it in the order you’ve said you’ll say it, and then say what you’ve said:
My three points today are:
x
y
z

Timing

People often find that they are ‘finished’ with time left on the clock. If you don’t use
your full time, it sends the message that you don’t have much to say in this debate.

You really must try to get to the end of the allocated time period.

Almost invariably, people end their speeches early because they haven’t gone into
their points in sufficient depth.

As noted above, timing is affected by the need to deliver a properly structured speech.

Teamwork

Debating is a team sport. Plenty of individuals speak very well and still lose. It may
happen to you. There’s no point blaming your partner: you lost as a team.

You should tell your partner what you’re going to say in a debate. You should know
what they’re going to say.

If you’re speaking second, your plan for your speech should be shaped in the
knowledge of what your partner is going to say, and then in the debate it should be
reshaped in light of what he actually said.

‘Points of Information’ should be shared between speakers, too.

You should write the point down and refine it together.

Teamwork: Flagging points

The first speaker should refer (or ‘flag’) in his speech to points the second will
deliver.

The second speaker should refer to points his partners has made – particularly if a
suggestion can be made that they have not been dealt with adequately by the
opposition.

If you’re speaking second in your team and your first speaker has said that you will
make certain points, they must be given.

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If material if promised, it should always be delivered.

Teamwork: Buzz terms

Team mates should use the same kind of language, the same terminology .

The aim is to develop in listeners a feeling that continuity of thinking exists within the
team.

Style/Manner Delivery: Speed is a great problem

Debating is a persuasive art.
One naturally speaks more quickly when one’s nervous.
People often tend to drop the volume, as if they don’t want to be noticed.
Avoid overcompensating though – especially in small rooms.
Reading is very irritating for the listener. Eye contact is important.
Avoid ums and ers as much as you can.
Pauses can be very effective – don’t be afraid to use them.
Don’t monotone; vary the pitch of your voice as well as the speed.

Modes of address
The chairman may be called Mr Speaker, Mr Chairman, Mr Chair – it really doesn’t
matter.
Other speakers may be referred to by their position (e.g. 3rd Opp)
Their role (e.g. Deputy Prime Minister)
By their first name, by their last name –
Don’t call people “the honourable.”

Decorous Manner
Debaters have a right to compete without being abused.
This is the sole area in which adjudicators will intervene in the debates: they may
simply end the speaker’s speech.
Adjudicators have the power to award punitively low (on no) marks to speakers
behaving in this way, and in extreme cases teams may be removed from the
competition.
Speakers may not use props of any kind.

AFTER THE DEBATE

After a British Parliamentary debate, the judge/s deliberate, and a discussion occurs
between the panel of judges.
The chairman controls and directs the discussion.
This discussion always aims for unanimity. If unanimity is impossible, then a majority
is sought. If a majority cannot be reached, then the chairman of the panel decides. All
judges have an equal vote.
In the discussion, adjudicators rank the teams and then allocate speaker points.

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They may not award “low point wins,”
Meaning that the two speakers on the team that wins must have more combined
speaker points than the combined speaker points of the team that came second, which
must have more than the team that came third, which must have more than the team
that came last.
Where team A beats team B, an individual on team B may have higher speaker points
than one or both of the speakers on team A, but the combined points of team A must
be greater than those of the combined points of team B.

Teams may receive ‘Zero’ Team Points

If adjudicators unanimously agree that a team member has harassed another debater
on the basis of religion, sex, race, colour, nationality, sexual preference, disability, or
simply been gratuitously and excessively unpleasant.

Teams may also receive zero points if they arrive at the debate more than five minutes
late.

“Oral Adjudications”

In these oral adjudications, one of the judges will tell teams the positions they have
been given but not the points allocated to individual speakers.

He will also give a brief rationale for the result, which should not be interrupted. He
may give constructive criticism if he wishes.

This adjudication is given by the Chairman of the panel unless he is dissenting, in

which case the adjudication is given by a member of the panel nominated by him.

Speakers are welcome to seek individual or team feedback in private from one or all
of the adjudication panel after the debate.

In obtaining that feedback competitors must be polite.

Points to Remember

Debating is hard work. In the laudable enthusiasm that motivates those that encourage
others to take it up.
If you want to be a serious, successful competitive debater, you’re going to have to hit
the books.
You will have to work at researching information and facts on current affairs, moral
principles, basic legal rules, and so on.

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