British Parliamentary style debate is a common form of academic debate. It has gained support in the United Kingdom, Ireland, Europe, Africa, and United States, and has also been adopted as the official style of the World Universities Debating Championship and European Universities Debating Championship. Speeches are usually between five and seven minutes in duration. The debate consists of four teams of two speakers, called factions, with two factions on either side of the case. Representation of a university class, 1350s. ... A parliament is a legislature, especially in those countries whose system of government is based on the Westminster system modelled after that of the United Kingdom. ... Debate is a formalized system of (usually) logical argument. ... The World Universities Debating Championship (WUDC) is the largest debating tournament, and one of the largest annual international student events in the world. ... There are two major regional debating championships for universities in Asia. ... The Australasian Intervarsity Debating Championships (known colloquially as Australs) is one of the worlds largest debating tournaments, second only in size to the World Universities Debating Championship, and one of the largest annual student events in the world. ... The European Universities Debating Championship (colloquially known as Euros or Europeans) is a regional equivalent to the World Universities Debating Championship (Worlds) held in British Parliamentary style. ... The John Smith Memorial Mace (known between 1954 and 1995 as the Observer Mace) is the foremost student debating competition in the British Isles and Ireland. ... The North American Debating Championship is the premier parliamentary debating championship in North America, sanctioned by the national university debating associations in the United States and Canada, the American Parliamentary Debating Association and the Canadian University Society for Intercollegiate Debate. ... The American Parliamentary Debate Association (APDA) is the oldest intercollegiate parliamentary debating association in the United States, and one of two in the nation overall, the other being the National Parliamentary Debate Association (NPDA). ... CUSID Logo The Canadian University Society for Intercollegiate Debate (CUSID generally, and SUCDI in French) is the national organization which governs and represents university-level debating and public speaking in Canada. ... The English-Speaking Union is an international educational charity founded in 1918 to promote international understanding and friendship through the use of the English language. ... The National Parliamentary Debate Association (NPDA) is one of the two national intercollegiate parliamentary debate organizations in the United States. ... Australia-Asia debate is a form of academic debate. ... This is a list of top-ranked university debaters from official international competitions, in any debating style. ... The coat of arms for the Cambridge Union Society, which shares much in common with the coat of arms for the University of Cambridge. ... The front aspect of Glasgow University Union Glasgow University Union (GUU) is one of the students unions operating at the University of Glasgow. ... The Otago University Debating Society (OUDS) was established in 1888 and is the oldest Otago University Dunedin, New Zealand society. ... The Oxford Union Society, commonly referred to simply as the Oxford Union, is a private debating society in the city of Oxford, England, whose membership is drawn primarily but not exclusively from the University of Oxford. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... The UCC Philosophical Society the Philosoph is the largest debating society at University College Cork, Ireland. ... The stage of Conron Hall at University College, the main debating chamber of the University of Western Ontario Debating Society Gallery at Conron Hall The University of Western Ontario Debating Society is the oldest student association at the University of Western Ontario, and is one of the largest and most... The College Historical Society (commonly known as The Hist) was founded in Trinity College in 1770 and traces its creation to the historical society founded by the philosopher Edmund Burke in Dublin in 1747. ... The University Philosophical Society (commonly known as The Phil or The Auto-Phil) is a student paper-reading and debating society in Trinity College, Dublin. ... Logo of Debsoc, 2007 Logo of the VUW Australs 2006 VUW Debsoc, Joynt Scroll 2006 The Victoria University of Wellington Debating Society (Inc. ... Debate (North American English) or debating (British English) is a formal method of interactive and position representational which is givin by ralph arbons arguments. ... For other uses, see Europe (disambiguation). ... A world map showing the continent of Africa Africa is the worlds second-largest and second most-populous continent, after Asia. ... The World Universities Debating Championship (WUDC) is the largest debating tournament, and one of the largest annual international student events in the world. ... The European Universities Debating Championship (colloquially known as Euros or Europeans) is a regional equivalent to the World Universities Debating Championship (Worlds) held in British Parliamentary style. ...

Terminology

Because of the style's origins in British parliamentary procedure, the two sides are called the Government (more commonly called "Proposition" in the United Kingdom) and Opposition. The speakers are similarly titled: Parliamentary procedure is the name given to the set of rules governing the decision-making process used by a deliberative assembly. ...

1. Opening Government (first faction):
   1. Prime Minister
   2. Deputy Prime Minister
2. Opening Opposition (second faction):
   1. Leader of the Opposition
   2. Deputy Leader of the Opposition
3. Closing Government (third faction):
   1. Member for the Government
   2. Government Whip
4. Closing Opposition (fourth faction):
   1. Member for the Opposition
   2. Opposition Whip

Speaking alternates between the two sides and the order of the debate is therefore:

1. Prime Minister
2. Opposition Leader
3. Deputy Prime Minister
4. Deputy Opposition Leader
5. Member for the Government
6. Member for the Opposition
7. Government Whip
8. Opposition Whip

Roles

As British Parliamentary debates take place between four teams their roles are split into two categories, those for the Opening factions, and those for the Closing factions.

Opening factions

The first faction on each Government and Opposition team, known as the Opening Factions, have four basic roles in a British Parliamentary debate. They must:

• Define the topic of the debate.
• Present their case.
• Respond to arguments of the opposing first faction.
• Maintain their relevance during the debate.

The Opening Government team has the semi-divine right of definition, preventing the opposition from challenging their definition of the topic unless it is either a Truism, or clearly unreasonable. A truism is a claim that is so obvious or self-evident as to be hardly worth mentioning, except as a reminder or as a rhetorical or literary device. ...

Closing factions

The role of the second two factions are to:

• Introduce a case extension.
• Establish and maintain their relevance early in the debate.
• Respond to the arguments of the first factions.
• Respond to the case extension of the opposing second faction.

In addition, the final two speakers of the debate (known as the Whips) take a similar role to the third speakers in Australia-Asian debating: Debate (North American English) or debating (British English) is a formal method of interactive and position representational which is givin by ralph arbons arguments. ...

• They may not introduce new arguments for their faction;
• They must respond to both opposing factions' arguments;
• They should briefly sum up their Opening Faction's case;
• They should offer a conclusion of their own faction's case extension.

Points of Information

The style demands that all speakers offer Points of Information (POIs) to their opposition. POIs are important in British Parliamentary style, as it allows the first two factions to maintain their relevance during the course of the debate, and the last two factions to introduce their arguments early in the debate. The first and last minute of each speech is considered "protected time", during which no points of information may be offered. Points of Information (or POIs) are a feature of competitive debate, allowing an opposing team member to offer a brief point during the current speech. ... Points of Information (or POIs) are a feature of competitive debate, allowing an opposing team member to offer a brief point during the current speech. ...

Variations

Depending on the country, there are variations in speaking time, speaking order, and the number of speakers.

Competitions in BP Style

The debating season closely follows the academic year in English speaking countries. The first competitions are in Britain and Ireland in October& November, building up to World Championships held over the Christmas holidays. After "Worlds" the Oxford Inter-varsity is the most prestigious. In the New Year the Trinity Inter-varsity in Dublin, the premier tournament in Ireland, recommences the season. The European Championships are usually held over the Easter break , although in 2007 they are in August. The season finishes with a number of European competitions in March and April, ahead of annual examinations in universities.

The International Mace final is held in April. It is contested by the winners of the national Mace competitions in England, Wales, Scotland and Ireland.

For the World Championships and most competitions both team members must be registered students of a university or third level institution. Although occasionally 'open' competitions are held that allow non-students and composite teams to compete.

External links

• Training material for British Parliamentary Style, prepared by the Australian Capital Territory Debating Union.
• An introductory Guide to BP Debating by Alex Deane.
• Competitive Debating by Dan Neidle
• British Debate
• World Debate Website
• Irish Mace competition
• Trinity IV