The Manchester Debating Union hosted the Annual Manchester Schools National Debating Competition this February. We’d like to thank Alexander Fraser from Glasgow and Lucie Slamova from Warwick for being Chief Adjudicators, and to all the volunteers who judged, ran tabs, and swing spoke for the competition!
Manchester Schools 2020 saw over forty teams compete in four rounds of BP debate. Motions were challenging but rewarding, testing speakers’ ability in a range of topics, from sports to private military contracts.
In the Final we had teams from Coleg Menai in Opening Government, Craigmount High School in Opening Opposition, Grammar Schools at Leeds in Closing Government, and Newcastle High School for Girl in Closing Opposition.
The motions at the competition were as follows:
- Round 1: THW require all professional football teams to be majority owned by their fans.
- Round 2: Private Military Contractors (PMCs) are private companies which offer security or armed combat services in exchange for financial reward. They are normally not committed to any one state, private actor or ideology. THBT Western states should not use private military contractors in combat.
- Round 3: THBT the media should not intrude on the private lives of politicians.
- Round 4: TH, as the parent of a child prodigy, would push that child to maximize their potential.
- Grand Final: In 2007, Ecuador has decriminalised gang membership and legalised some of its biggest gangs, including the biggest street gang in the world – the Latin Kings. Ecuadorian gangs were allowed to register as cultural organizations eligible for state funding and various social benefits. The criminal part of their activity remained illegal and no amnesty was granted for convicted gang members. THW legalise gangs in all Latin American countries.
We hope to see you again at the next Annual Manchester Schools National Debating Competition!