Explained: The BP Debate Format

British Parliamentary debate, also known as BP debate, is one of the more complicated formats of Parliamentary debate. For this reason, it is usually tackled by debaters who have already mastered other formats of debate like World Schools or Public Forum debate.

In this article, we'll look at some of the key features of the BP debate format and how it works in the debating room.

Overview of BP Debate

Unlike in debate formats you may have previously learned, in BP debate, each round includes four teams with two debaters on each team.

• The government bench consists of the two government teams, Opening Government (OG) and Closing Government (CG), which are arguing in favor of the motion.

• The opposition bench consists of the two opposition teams, Opening Opposition (OO) and Closing Opposition (CO), which are arguing against the motion.

The first two teams in the debate, OG and OO, are sometimes called the opening half, while the third and fourth teams, CG and CO, are sometimes called the closing half.

Naturally, the two government teams are competing against the two opposition teams. What's interesting about BP debate, though, is that you are also competing against the other team on your bench.

If you're Opening Government, you want to do better than not only Opening Opposition and Closing Opposition but also Closing Government. The key is to show that you've made better arguments and contributed more to the debate without contradicting or rebutting the points of the other team on the same side.

At the end of the debate, all four teams are ranked from first to fourth independently of their benches.

BP Debate Speaker Roles

After 15 minutes of preparation time, each speaker will deliver a 7-minute speech. Each of the eight speakers in a BP debate has a different role.

• The first speaker of the OG, the Prime Minister, is in charge of starting the debate. They should define the motion and advance 2-3 arguments in favor of their side.
  
  
• The first speaker of the OO, the Leader of the Opposition, should rebut the OG's case and advance their own.
  
  
• The second speaker of the OG, the Deputy Prime Minister, should refute the Leader of the Opposition's arguments and add to the OG's case.
  
  
• The second speaker of the OO, the Deputy Leader of the Opposition, should continue to rebut the OG's case and advance their own.
  
  
• Now the first speaker of the CG, the Member of Government, should bring an extension or new material distinct from but consistent with the OG's arguments.
  
  
• The first speaker of the CO, the Member of Opposition, should similarly bring an extension distinct from but consistent with the OO's arguments.
  
  
• Here's where it gets tricky. The second speaker of the CG, the Government Whip, should engage with and rebut all arguments from the opposition bench. Without adding new arguments, their job is to conclusively show why the CG won the debate over all three other teams.
  
  
• The second speaker of the CO, the Opposition Whip, should similarly engage with and rebut all arguments from the government bench. Without adding new arguments, their job is to conclusively show why the CO won the debate.

Being a whip isn't easy — you have to listen carefully to the entire debate and weigh your arguments against everyone else's. A good whip is essential to BP debate!

Key Elements of BP Debate

The CG and CO are both responsible for introducing extensions, which extend the arguments of the opening half, develop them in new directions, or come up with new analyses, examples, and refutations. These are critical for progressing the debate.

Points of information, which are questions or refutations offered during opposing speeches, follow the same rules in BP debate as in World Schools debate. However, they can only be asked to the two teams on the opposite bench.

Lastly, in BP debate, there are no reply or summary speeches.

Although it may seem complicated, BP debate is one of the most popular debate formats in the world for a reason. It can lead to some of the liveliest and most exciting debates.

If you're ready to give it a shot, check out our BP competitions for upcoming BP debate opportunities.

You might also be interested in how to win a BP debate!