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
Speech

Opposition Whip Speech

Direct refutation
towards MO
extension
Summary
(Direct comparison

Summary
(Direct comparison;
includes indirect
refutation towards whole
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, its very
likely for him to fall into a trap because

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

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. Its an easy approach to pick up
because by looking at your flow
sheet, those points are easily
spotted.
2. But its 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.

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.

Medium: Regrouping
method
(Much better)

3. Which grouping method you

choose depends on which side
youre on.
Eg. In the motion of banning
smoking,
Government prefers childrenadult regrouping.
Opposition prefer tobacco famers

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

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: Whats 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

Advanced: Fundamental
Questions
(The best )

Which Mac do I want

?
--- size , color,
warranty, stability,
compatibility, aftersale service,
portability,
multifunction,
multimedia, websurfing, etc.
What is the
fundamental

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

Example 1:
This House would ban
Government
whip
Opposition Whip
smoking
in China.
Rebuttal arguments

1.Practical Benefits
a. Benefits to
Smokers
b. Benefits to Nonsmokers
2. Moral Benefits
a. Respects nonsmokers 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,

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

Excercise1:

This House supports corporal

Government
whip
Opposition whip
punishment
in schools.
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 talents for the
future (i.e., education).
- No distractions / kids
understand
3. Act morally (most
important)
a. Sense of citizen

HOW DOES THIS AFFECT

1. Children
- Physical pain & Long
term scars
- Hate school / Fear, not
morality
2. Teachers
- May want power / dont
want these
- Hurt from doing harm
to others
3. Society
- Cycles of violence in
society
- People see violence as

Exercise2:
Motion: This House believes that Gov.
should run
welfarewhip
lotteries. (Regrouping
Government
Opposition whip
Method)
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 dont
buy lottery, since Gov. has
more resource to give
social welfare, less tax will
be needed.

Exercise2:
Motion: This House believes that Gov.
should run
welfarewhip
lotteries. (Fundamental
Government
Opposition whip
The
fundamental
Questions:
Question
Method)
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