Order, order! The first GDST debating competition takes place at Senate House

The first ever GDST wide debating competition took place on 5th July in the imposing surroundings of Senate House, University of London. 

Participants were from Years 10 upwards, and 13 schools sent 28 teams who took part in three rounds of debating, with the four highest-scoring teams going through to the final.

The competition was in British Parliamentary style, with four teams of two in each debate, and participants only having 15 minutes to prepare (with no access to internet). The debate motions were:

• This house would legalise Assisted Suicide
• This house would impose a maximum salary ratio of 30 times the salary of the lowest paid full-time employee of any company or organisation
• This house would tie the provision of international development aid to human, and specifically women’s, rights

The four teams in the final were all from Wimbledon High School, and they debated the motion ‘This house would hold a second EU referendum’. The winners were the first opposing team, Lucy Russell and Catherine Bentley. 

We are very grateful to the seven judges, all of whom are University debaters, including three alumnae of Newcastle High and Wimbledon High.

Congratulations to everyone taking part, and special thanks to Jo McEvedy from Newcastle who first suggested the idea, and Sam O’Neill from Wimbledon for a huge amount of support.