China Debate Education Network:

Introduction to British
Parliamentary Debate
 Whip Speeches
Most Important Message

Whip Speakers’ Job Description

Whip Speech Strategies

How to make a good summary

 Whip Speakers should do
Government Whip Opposition Whip Speech
Speech
Direct refutation Summary
towards MO extension (Direct comparison;
includes indirect
Summary refutation towards whole
(Direct comparison） government bench)
 Why OW should not refute GW
directly?
• 1. A Whip speech should be a reframing job , to
regroup all the advantageous arguments to self.
• 2. An experienced whip will try to reframe the
whole debate by leading the argumentation
process into a familiar and favorable territory to
self.
• 3. If OW just makes direct refutation point by
point towards GW, it’s very likely for him to fall
into a trap because he is just fighting in an
unfamiliar territory.
 Criteria of a good whip speech

1. Summarize in an honest and accurate

fashion
2. Summarize in a manner that supports your
side of the motion
3. Summarize in a manner that supports your
team
 Strategy of Whip Speech

• 1) Select the most important issues

• 2) Select the issues at your advantage

• 3) Avoid repeating opponents’ remarks

• 4) Analyze from a higher level/perspective

 Summary
• Basic level (Summary of Disagreement
Analysis)

• Medium Level (Regrouping )

• Advanced Level (Fundamental Qs)

 Basic: Summary Method
1. Pick the arguments your side is already
winning.
2. Convince the judges that your chosen
points are the most important ones.
 Comments on
Basic: Summary Method
(Need to be improved)
1. It’s an easy approach to pick up because by
looking at your flow sheet, those points are
easily spotted.
2. But it’s the weakest approach because the
fact or arguments you pick up to support
your claim are not necessarily the important
or relevant issues in this motion.
Eg. Ban of Smoking can reduce risk of fire
 Medium: Regrouping method
(Much better)
1. Regroup basic arguments in order to offer a
more complete and conclusive picture.
2. Crystallize previously mentioned arguments by
regrouping in terms of disciplines
Eg. Economics, Culture, Education, etc.

or groups of people.
Eg. Smoker, Non-smoker; Adult, Children;
Civilian,
 Medium: Regrouping method
(Much better)
3. Which grouping method you choose depends
on which side you’re on.
Eg. In the motion of banning smoking,

Government prefers children-adult regrouping.

Opposition prefer tobacco famers and

tobacco industry employees.
 Medium: Regrouping method
(Much better)
4. Regrouping method MUST be SEEMINGLY
FAIR.
eg. In the motion of banning smoking,
If Opposition just regroups all people
involved in smoking into 3 groups , tobacco
famers , tobacco industry employees and
doctors who cures patients subject to
smoking-induced disease, it will be unfair
because this regrouping method fails to
include all people.
 Advanced: Fundamental questions
(The Best )
• Raise fundamental questions and
answer them to show the good grip of
cornerstone and deep-seated issues in
particular motion.
 Advanced: Fundamental Questions
(The best )
• Eg. The Fundamental Questions of example 1
This House would ban smoking in China.
Q: What’s the role of a Government?
(a rhetorical question)
A: The fundamental role of the Gov. is to protect
its citizens’ health. Citizens’ appeal to health is the
most basic, which far outweighs other request. As
a responsible government, here we have shown
you our plan on how to protect citizens from being
harmed by smoking.
Advanced: Fundamental Questions
(The best )
• Which Mac do I want ?
--- size , color, warranty,
stability, compatibility,
after-sale service,
portability, multifunction,
multimedia, web-surfing,
etc.
• What is the fundamental
function of a computer?
---- To work.
List of Fundamental Questions
If you have the answers to
fundamental questions, you will be
much more likely to be winner in
debate than others.
Eg:

1. What is the nature of ……. ?

 Example 1:
This House would ban smoking in
China.whip
Government Opposition Whip
Rebuttal arguments
1.Practical Benefits
a. Benefits to Smokers
b. Benefits to Non-smokers
2. Moral Benefits
a. Respects non-smokers’
right
b. Reduces egoistic actions
Role of Government?
1.Maintain Social Stability
-protests by addicts, farmers,
etc.
2. Protect individual freedom &
allow choice
3. Balance benefits over harms
- stop unintended consequences
- admit health harm, but
outweighed!
Exercise1:
Motion: This House supports corporal punishment in schools.

Government whip Opposition whip

 Exercise1:
This House supports corporal punishment in schools.
Government whip Opposition whip
Rebuttal arguments

What is the role of government and

does this plan fit this role?

1. Ensure a safe & orderly society

- Stop bullying and abuse
2. Provide for the future (i.e.,
education).
- No distractions / kids understand
3. Act morally (most important)
a. Sense of citizen responsibility
b. People get what they deserve
 Excercise1:
• This House supports corporal punishment in schools.
Government whip
Rebuttal arguments
What is the role of government
and does this plan fit this role?
1. Ensure a safe & orderly society 2. Teachers
- Stop bullying and abuse
2. Provide talents for the future
(i.e., education).
- No distractions / kids
understand
3. Act morally (most important)
a. Sense of citizen responsibility
b. People get what they deserve
Opposition whip
HOW DOES THIS AFFECT…
1. Children
- Physical pain & Long term scars
- Hate school / Fear, not morality
- May want power / don’t want
these
- Hurt from doing harm to others
3. Society
- Cycles of violence in society
- People see violence as the
answer
- Causes much more violent unrest
in society
Exercise2:
Motion: This House believes that Gov. should run
welfare lotteries. (Regrouping Method)
Government whip Opposition whip

1. Benefit people who buy lottery. (new

hope for life, feel happy for helping
others)
2. Benefit people in need. (food aid,
medical care aid, financial aid, etc.)
3. Benefit people who don’t buy lottery,
since Gov. has more resource to give
social welfare, less tax will be needed.
(the 3 should be the most important
and persuasive issue)
Exercise2:
Motion: This House believes that Gov. should run
welfare lotteries. (Fundamental Question Method)
Government whip Opposition whip
The fundamental Questions:
The role of the Gov.
1. Give social welfare to more people
2. To maximize the efficiency of
utilizing Gov. dispensable income
3. Can we stop people from Gambling?
4. Is it illegal gambling better
than legal gambling?
5. Is it better to regulate gambling by
the Gov. instead of private firms?