China Debate Education Network:
Introduction to British
Parliamentary Debate
Introduction to BP Debate
• Procedures of BP Debate
• BP debate format
Procedure for Each Debate
The Draw
Motion For Debate
Preparation time
Timing
The Draw
1st Gov
1st Opp
2nd Gov
2nd Opp
Judge
Room
Fudan A
Peking B
GU A
GNU B
Logan
Yang Ge
201
GNU A
GU B
Peking A
GUFE B
Li Yong
202
Huang Tingting
GUFE A
SCUN A
SCUN B
Fudan B
Chen Ying
He Jing
203
Motion For Debate
• A motion is a statement provided by the
Tournament Director that will become the
subject of the debate. A motion is sometimes
called a debate topic, a resolution, or a
proposition.
• Examples
– PRC should create wireless cities.
– Israel should change its policies toward
Palestinians
– Mohandas Gandhi was one of the world’s greatest
leaders
Preparation Time
• Each team has 15 – 30 minutes (depending on
the tournament) after the announcement of
the motion prepare.
• Teams can consult printed materials but may
not use the internet or computers.
• Teams cannot prepare with one another.
• Teams cannot receive assistance from their
teacher or coach.
Timing
 7 minutes for each speech
 Protected Time: First and last minute
 A single knock on table or sounding of a bell
announces protected time
 double knock or bell signals the end of your
speech.
 Your speeches will be timed by a timekeeper or
by the judge
BP Debate Format
• Four Teams
• Speaker Roles and Responsibilities
The Four Teams and Eight Speakers
Upper House
Lower House
Prime Minister
Leader of
Opposition
Deputy Prime
Minister
Deputy Leader
of Opposition
Member of
Government
Member of
Opposition
Government
Whip
Opposition
Whip
Refutation and Points of
Information
• Refutation
– Definition of refutation
– Deciding what to refute
– Four-step refutation
• Points of Information
Definition of Refutation
• Refutation involves one debater directly
responding to an argument of an opposing
debater
• Refutation involves a debater objecting to an
argument raised by someone on the other
side
Deciding What to Refute
• Can’t refute everything
• Don’t focus on arguments that are the easiest
to refute
• Focus on important arguments
• Focus on arguments essential to the opposing
speaker’s case
• Focus on arguments that prevent you from
making your own case
Four-Step Refutation Process
• 1. “They say…” (identify the target argument
you will be refuting)
• 2. “But I say…” (state the claim of your own
refutation)
• 3. “Because…” (provide support for your
refutation)
• 4. “Therefore…” (explain why the argument is
important to the debate)
Four-Step Refutation Process
Opposing Argument:
“They said. . .”
“But I say. . .
“Because. . .”
“Therefore. . .”
Points of Information
 POI --- Point of Information
Who --- a member of an opposing team;
What --- comments, statement, question…;
How to offer --- by rising and extending hand
or by saying “on that point, Sir/Madam”
 NO POI --- protected time (the first and the last minute);
 Time --- 15 seconds or less
Speaker Roles and Responsibilities
Upper House
Lower House
Prime Minister
Leader of
Opposition
Deputy Prime
Minister
Deputy Leader
of Opposition
Member of
Government
Member of
Opposition
Government
Whip
Opposition
Whip
1st Speaker -- Prime Minister
--- Defines and interprets the motion
Defining ambiguous terms
Interpreting focuses the
motion so it is clear and debatable
--- Develops a case for the proposition in
support of the motion
--- Case should consist of one or more
arguments supporting the PM’s
interpretation of the motion
--- Case must be prima facie—strong
enough to be accepted on “its first face.”
Upper House
2nd Speaker: Leader of Opposition
 -- Refutes the case of the first Government
 -- Construct one or more arguments against the
Prime Minister's interpretation of the motion
Upper House
3rd Speaker -- Deputy Prime Minister
 -- Refutes the case of the first opposition
 -- Rebuilds the case of the first Government
 -- Adds one or more new arguments to the case of
the first Government
Upper House
4th Speaker –
Deputy Leader of Opposition
 -- Continues refutation of case of
1st Government with emphasis
on any new arguments
introduced by the DPM
 -- Rebuilds arguments of the 1st
opposition.
 -- Adds new arguments to the case
of the 1st opposition.
Upper House
5th Speaker –
Member of Government
 --Defends the general direction and case of the
1st Government
 -- Continues refutation of 1st opposition
arguments
 -- Develops a new argument that is different
from but consitent with the case of the 1st
Government (frequently called an extension)
Lower House
6th Speaker –
Member of Opposition
 -- Very briefly defends the general direction
taken by the 1st opposition
 -- Very briefly continues general refutation
of 1st proposition case
 -- Provides more specific refutation of the
MG extension.
 -- Develops an opposition extension.
Lower House
7th Speaker – Government Whip
 --- Summarizes the entire debate from the
point of view of the proposition
 --- Defends the general view point of both
proposition teams with a special eye toward
the case of the 2nd proposition.
Lower House
 --- Does not provide new arguments.
8th Speaker – Opposition Whip
 --- Summarizes the entire debate from the point of
view of the opposition
 --- Defends the general view point of both
opposition teams with a special eye toward the
argument of the MO.
Lower House
 --- Does not provide new arguments.