Guide to parliamentary debate
Introducing debating
A debate,
is not a discussion but a blood-sport. A discussion is to a debate what a tea-party is to a boxing match. One side wins, one loses. There is no undecided result, no draw, no stale-mate.
A motion (a proposition in the form of a statement) is fought out by two opposing sides. Each team defends (or attacks) the motion. Debaters speak in turn: first proposition, then first opposition, then second of each, then third. The format we use in class is based on the House of Commons.
The motion:
Debaters are prepared to speak on EITHER side of ANY motion, and against ANY other team. A debate is not a search for the truth. Debaters needn’t be convinced of the validity of their case, but do attempt to find the best possible arguments for it.
Seating:
At Westminster (House of Commons) the two sides face each other. But in the classroom we open up one end of the tables to form a V shape. Debaters face the class and learn to address an audience, not the opposing side.
Time:
Each debate has an agreed set time-limit for the speeches. Beginners are happy with two to three minutes each; at the World Championships eight minutes are expected.
Formality:
Arguments should be forceful, but not aggressive or rude towards the other side. Debating remains polite!
Notes:Speeches are delivered, not read out! Use palm cards. Speakers can hold a series of cards, but must maintain eye-contact with the audience. Some may choose to stand “protected” behind a table or rostrum. However, even beginners are encouraged to stand out front “naked”, thereby exuding a sense of sovereignty.
Rebuttal:
In addition to presenting the arguments listed in the team-line, each speaker (except the very first) tries to rebut (i.e. to destroy) the arguments of the others side’s previous speaker(s).
A debate is an interaction, and not a series of monomaniac individuals making their own special pleas.
Points of information (POI):
Any debater may stand up at almost any moment and ask to be allowed to ask a POI: “On a point of information!” – in the form of a question or a short statement no longer than 15 seconds. It’s the right of each speaker to accept the POI (“Yes, please”), or to decline it. (“Declined!” or “No, thank you!”) If it is declined, the questioner must sit down straightaway without protest and, apart from the speaker’s reply, there’s no further discussion of the point. The purpose of the POI is not to elicit any truth or real information, but partly to disconcert the speaker, and partly to show that the other side are critical of the arguments being made.
POIs are allowed between the first and the last minute of a speaker’s substantive speech. There are no POIs during the reply speeches.
A ChairPerson,
preferably an impartial, experienced debater, will open the debate, read out the motion, introduce the speakers in turn, and announce the results at the end.
After the debate the chairperson waits for the adjudicators to hand in the mark sheets. Then he/she may wish to invite the audience to make any comment on the topic. As soon as the judges come back the chairperson must stop any discussion so everybody can listen to the decision and comments on behalf of the panel. After the adjudicator has finished the chairperson closes the debate, saying
Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for your attendance and congratulations to both teams for the debate. I now declare this debate closed.
Timekeeping
A
timekeeper
will signify time elapsed through the use of a bell or knocking on the table.
One knock or ring should be given after the first and before the last minute of main speeches, and a double signal when time is over.
In debating contests each main speech lasts 8 minutes. So one knock or sound should be given after 1 minute and 7 minutes of main speeches, a double signal after 8 minutes.
During the reply speeches there will be a single sound 1 minute before the end of the reply speech and a double sound when time is over.
In debating contests reply speeches last 4 minutes, half of the time of main speeches. There will be a single sound after 3 minutes of a summary speech (= reply speech) and a double sound after 4 minutes.
What to say!
At the beginning
Mr. President, Lady Chair,…
Ladies and gentlemen, dear fellow speakers,…
We on today’s proposition/opposition (strongly) believe that…
I’ve divided my talk into … main parts.
First (to begin with) we/I’d like to give you an overview of what I/we will be talking about
Then I’ll go on (to present some details of…)
Finally I/we will show you ……
In your speech:
The first point I’d like to make/to mention, is…
Let me say that I/we believe that…
It seems to me/us/my team that…
Let’s look at…
I would like to emphasize that …..
As you know ……
Let me now turn to…
As far as … is concerned…
If you take into account that …….
This brings me to my next point ……
I/we would like to point out that…
The point is…
As I've said before …
(So,) I/we are quite sure that…
I/we totally agree with…
What I’m trying to say is…
Finally, I would like to say ……
(So,)As we have pointed out… /As we have proved…
With a point of information:
Asking:
Point of information, please sir/madam.
On that point, point of information, please sir/madam.
Introduction:
Have you considered…?
I was wondering if you could tell us…?
I wonder if I could comment on that last point.
We/I cannot accept that ….
Reply:
Let’s consider your point…
You have a point there, but…
If I understood the question correctly, you’d like to know if/how…
That’s a very good point. I would say, however, that…
Absolutely! That’s just what we think, but ……
That’s right, yes, I agree, but…
I’ll come back to that in a minute.
Can we come back to that point later?
I’ll deal with that in full detail later.
I’d just like to finish if I may.
If I could/might just finish…
I’m afraid I can/can’t agree…
I’d like to summarize the main points:
To sum up, I think we all agree that…
We believe that we have proved that…
We cannot/will not support…
For all these reasons the motion must stand/fall.
Therefore the motion cannot/must stand.
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