British Parliamentary Debate Definition Rules

British Parliamentary Debate 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 Uniersities !ebating "hampionship and European Uniersities !ebating "hampionship. Speeches are usually bet#een fie and seen minutes in duration. $he debate consists of four teams of t#o spea%ers, called factions, factions, #ith t#o factions on either side of the case. Because of the style&s origins in British parliamentary procedure, the t#o sides are called the Government  'more  'more commonly called (Proposition( in the United Kingdom) and Opposition. Opposition. $he spea%ers are similarly titled*

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2.

3.

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Opening Government (first faction): 1. Prim Primee Min Ministe ster 2. Depu Deputy ty Prim Primee Min Minis iste terr Opening Opposition (second faction): 1. Lead Leader er of of the the Oppo Opposi siti tion on 2. Deputy Deputy Leader Leader of the the Oppo Opposit sition ion Closing Government (third faction): 1. Memb Member er for for the the Go Goer ernm nmen entt 2. Goe Goern rnm ment ent !hip hip Closing Opposition (fourth faction): 1. Memb Member er for for the the Opp Oppos osit itio ion n 2. Oppo Opposi siti tion on !hip !hip

#pea$in% a&ternates bet'een the t'o sides and the order of the debate is therefore: 1. Prim rime Mi Minist ister  2. Oppo Opposi siti tion on Lead Leader  er  3. Depu Deputy ty Prim Primee Min Minis iste ter  r  4. Depu Deputy ty Opp Oppos osit itio ion n Lead Leader  er  5. Me Memb mber er for for the the Gov Gover ernm nmen ent  t  6. Me Memb mber er for for the the Opp Oppos osit itio ion n . Gove Govern rnme ment nt !hip hip ". Oppo Opposi siti tion on !hip hip

Roles: As British Parliamentary  debates  debates ta%e place bet#een four teams their roles are split into t#o categories, those for the Opening factions, Opening factions, and those for the Closing factions. Closing factions. Opening factions: $he first factions on each +oernment and pposition team, %no#n as the pening -actions, hae four basic roles in a British Parliamentary  debate.  debate. $hey must* !efine the topic of the debate. Present their case. espond to arguments of the opposing first faction. /aintain their releance during the debate. • • • •

Closing factions: $he roles of the second t#o factions are to* Introduce a case extension. extension. Establish and maintain their releance early in the debate. espond to the arguments of the first factions. espond to the case e0tension of the opposing second faction. • • • •

In addition, the final t#o spea%ers of the debate '%no#n as the Whips) Whips) ta%e a similar role to the third spea%ers in Australia1Asian debating* • • • •

$hey may not introduce ne# arguments for their faction2 $hey must respond to both opposing factions& arguments2 $hey should briefly sum up their pening -action&s case2 $hey should offer a conclusion of their o#n faction&s case e0tension.

Points of Information: $he style demands that all spea%ers offer Points of Information 'PIs) to their opposition. PIs are important as they allo# the first t#o factions to maintain their releance during the course of the debate, and the last t#o factions to introduce their arguments early in the debate. $he first and last minute of each speech is considered (protected time(, during #hich no points of information may be offered.

 How is BP judged  ritics assess the uni*ueness and c&arity of the presented ie'points+e,tensions and the abi&ity of the team to en%a%e the other debaters in discussion on their points.