ESU Debating Society

News: 9th November 2005
Society Relaunch

The English-Speaking Union re-launched its Dartmouth House Debating Society on Wednesday 2 November, and the evening proved to be great success. The ESU Centre for Speech and Debate, which runs the Society, was delighted that founder member James Moorhouse MEP was able to attend the event. Mr Moorhouse, who was instrumental in setting up the club in 1950, gave a speech on his involvement with the Society, which will now incorporate a membership aspect into its structure.

The assembled crowd took part in a debating skills workshop, delivered by James Probert , the Head of Centre . The evening then culminated in a debate in which members of the audience took part. The motion, which was selected from a choice of three was “This House believes that the media has too much power in Britain .” After a lively and enjoyable debate, and a series of impressive floor speeches, the motion was carried by one vote.

The Society was set up in the 1950s in order to accommodate a group of like minded individuals who were keen to use and hone their debating skills in an informal environment. Since then hundreds of MPs, politicians, academics and public figures, including Dame Shirley Williams and Robin Day, as well as school and university debaters, have spoken on numerous and varied motions.

The Centre is keen to reinvigorate the society, and hopes, by adding a membership aspect, whilst maintaining the debates’ status as free and open to the public, to encourage a renewed interest in the debates, and more specifically in their format and content. Hence members will be able to contribute ideas to the process of setting motions, and will also be given the opportunity to suggest speakers, and to participate in the debates themselves.

The next debate will take place on Monday 5 December and will be a Barristers’ Debate on the motion “This House would abandon ASBOs.”

For more information please contact Vivienne Thomson, 020 7529 1550, or at vivienne_thomson@esu.org.