debating society....let your opinion be heard


	Meetings now on an occasional basis Doors open 8.00pm contact > 01747 858016
	Serving the communities of Swallowcliffe, Tisbury, Fovant, Shaftesbury and Salisbury along with the surrounding areas in Wiltshire and Dorset.

	This section includes...
	Walks & tours Debating society Computer club Lunch club Music Evenings Art group Swallowcliffe Hall Meteors Swallowcliffe society

	Some other interesting Website's...
	Jennie Walters - author Vale FM radio Swallowcliffe in Australia Ex-residents of Swallowcliffe, UK Hope and Homes for Children

The Swallowcliffe Debating Society

The Swallowcliffe Debating Society meets from time to time on an ad-hoc basis, usually on the 2nd Tuesday of the month to discuss interesting and important subjects.

Listen to Chris Stanbury discussing Nigel Farage and Nick Clegg's 2010 TV debate on BBC Radio Wiltshire

Doors open at 19:30 - debate starts at 20:00

Question Time

Election Special
"Hustings"

Tuesday Dec 10th 2019
7.30pm (doors open 7pm)

There will be a collection in support of Hope and Homes for Children

We raised more than £600 previously - thank you for your generosity

The panel
Conservative - Dr Andrew Murrison
Labour - Emily Pomroy-Smith
Liberal Democrat - Ellen Nicholson
Green Party - Julie Elizabeth Philips
Local Businessman - Patrick Duffy

Free tickets available in advance from Chris - 01747 858016
Please submit your questions to Chris by Dec 9th

Tickets on the door (if space available) will be £5

Check the Swallowcliffe diary or this page for future meetings

Or email :
Chris@swallowcliffe.com

Aims

Our aim is to have fun over a glass of wine (bring your own, but not to the election special) in the village hall. We want to bring villagers (young and old) together and get a lively discussion going without any animosity. You are welcome to attend without speaking. We will hold a variety of debates including:

Standard debate - two speakers for and two against the motion
Balloon debates - last speaker in the balloon wins (vote after each short speech)
Court cases - retrial of a controversial court case
6 minute debates - only two speakers (3 minutes each)
Topical debate - a topical issue chosen a few nights before the meeting
Opposite debate - volunteers will debate a topic from their opponent's viewpoint
Lucky dip - short debate drawn from the hat
Liar's debate - one of the arguments is complete fiction - audience decides who is telling the truth

Rules

The debate begins with a definition of the motion by the chairman. This is followed by the first proposer speaking for up to 5 minutes. The first opposer then gets up to five minutes followed by the 2nd proposer and 2nd opposer (up to 4 mins each). The debate is then opened up to the floor (no more than three minutes per speaker). The opposer and proposer then have three minutes to sum up their case. Finally the chairman conducts a vote and a winner is declared.

Debates (past and future)

We meet on an occasional basis at the Swallowcliffe Village Hall - everyone is welcome

Date	Day	Motion	Y	N	?	Chairman
31, May 2017	Wed	Question Time - with local politicians				Chris Stanbury
17, Jun 2016	Fri	Question Time - EU Referendum special				Chris Stanbury
29, Apr 2015	Wed	Question Time - with local politicians				Chris Stanbury
14, Aug 2012	Tue	Capitalism is past its "sell by" date (10th anniversary meeting)	5	3		Chris Stanbury
10, Jul 2012	Tue	Financial services will be the death of the UK	1	2		Chris Stanbury
12, Jun 2012	Tue	Nuclear power is a better option than renewables	2	3	1	Chris Stanbury
08, May 2012	Tue	Coalition government has been good for Britain	3	1	1	Chris Stanbury
10, Apr 2012	Tue	Scotland would be better off alone	2	5	1	Chris Stanbury
13, Mar 2012	Tue	Cancelled due to illness				Mike Barclay
14, Feb 2012	Tue	The Commonwealth is obsolete	0	4		Chris Stanbury
10, Jan 2012	Tue	Strikes are counterproductive for union members	3	4	1	Chris Stanbury
13, Dec 2011	Tue	We should move to Central European Time	2	3	1	Mike Barclay
8, Nov 2011	Tue	The banks are not to blame for our economic crisis	3	3	1	Chris Stanbury
11, Oct 2011	Tue	The abolition of cheques is a good thing	1	6	1	Chris Stanbury
13, Sep 2011	Tue	Organ donation should be the default on death	5	3	1	Chris Stanbury
9, Aug 2011	Tue	Feed in tariffs are ridiculous	4	4	1	Chris Stanbury
12, Jul 2011	Tue	Exams are a good way to measure ability	3	2	1	Chris Stanbury
14, Jun 2011	Tue	Privacy laws threaten our democracy	3	1	1	Chris Stanbury
10, May 2011	Tue	Whistleblowers are counter-productive	4	0	3	Chris Stanbury
12, Apr 2011	Tue	Alternative Voting (maybe a discussion)	4	8		Chris Stanbury
8, Mar 2011	Tue	Banker's bonuses are needed	3	2		Chris Stanbury
8, Feb 2011	Tue	What can we do with The Royal Oak? (a discussion)	60			Chris Stanbury
11, Jan 2011	Tue	The church is obsolete	1	7	4	Chris Stanbury
14, Dec 2010	Tue	Villages don't need pubs	2	11	1	Chris Stanbury
9, Nov 2010	Tue	We have nothing to fear from surveillance	6	6	1	Chris Stanbury
12, Oct 2010	Tue	Universities should be self funding	3	5		Chris Stanbury
10, Aug 2010	Tue	International aid doesn't work	3	1	1	Chris Stanbury
13, Jul 2010	Tue	We can't significantly affect climate change	3	4		Chris Stanbury
8, Jun 2010	Tue	Heathrow should get its third runway	0	3		John Edgley
11, May 2010	Tue	Voting in general elections should be compulsory	2	2		Chris Stanbury
13, Apr 2010	Tue	Question Time - with local politicians				Chris Stanbury
9, Mar 2010	Tue	Farming should no longer be subsidised	4	2		Chris Stanbury
9, Feb 2010	Tue	Foreigners should be prevented from buying British companies	6	4		Chris Stanbury
12, Jan 2010	Tue	The council is right not to grit country roads	1	1		Chris Stanbury
30, Dec 2005	Fri	Fame is overpaid	3	3		Chris Stanbury
30, Dec 2005	Fri	3 min - Christmas is irrelevant in a multicultural society	3	3		Chris Stanbury
28, Oct 2005	Fri	Stem Cell research is morally justified	14	1	1	Ralph Husband
28, Oct 2005	Fri	3 min- Old people have worse manners than the young	0	3	13	Chris Stanbury
26, Aug 2005	Fri	The arts suffer from public funding	4	15	2	Chris Stanbury
26, Aug 2005	Fri	Balloon debate - best piece of art (Winner Picasso's Guernica)				Chris Stanbury
24, Jun 2005	Fri	Was Tony Martin guilty? - the case revisited	5	30	1	Judge Anne Ralphs
29, Apr 2005	Fri	Question Time - with local politicians				David Bright
25, Feb 2005	Fri	America is an effective World policeman	9	6	1	Chris Stanbury
25, Feb 2005	Fri	Lucky dip debate - Camilla would make a good Queen	8	7	1	Chris Stanbury
26, Nov 2004	Fri	Smoking in public buildings should be banned	8	5		Rod Wright
29, Oct 2004	Fri	We need more regional government	3	11		Brian Stevens
24, Sep 2004	Fri	Cancelled due to harvest supper				N/A
27, Aug 2004	Fri	We have too many Bank Holidays	4	2		None
30, Jul 2004	Fri	It is wrong to eat animals	8	13		Richard Thompson
25, Jun 2004	Fri	Cancelled due to lack of a quorum				N/A
28, May 2004	Fri	Censorship is an outdated concept	7	4		Chris Stanbury
30, APR 2004	Fri	Re-examination of the Hutton report				Judge Anne Ralphs
26, Mar 2004	Fri	It is time for Britain to leave Europe	12	4		Louise Atkins
26, Mar 2004	Fri	State sponsored murder can sometimes be justified	12	4		Louise Atkins
27, Feb 2004	Fri	Government targets help	3	9		TBA
27, Feb 2004	Fri	Television is a curse	6	4		TBA
30, Jan 2004	Fri	Balloon debate (best New Year resolution)(winner Branson away)				Chris Stanbury
30, Jan 2004	Fri	Britain's honours system needs a complete rethink	6	7		Jo Grant
26, Dec 2003	Fri	Cancelled due to lack of a quorum				N/A
28, Nov 2003	Fri	Parliament should repeal 25% of laws	8	3	3	Jo Grant
28, Nov 2003	Fri	It was right to retire Concorde	8	5	1	Jo Grant
31, Oct 2003	Fri	It is time to give up remembering war	0	11	2	David Brown
26, Sep 2003	Fri	Britain is full	10	8		Jo Grant
29, Aug 2003	Fri	A and O levels are too easy	8	5		Malcom Rothwell
25, Jul 2003	Fri	Equality for women is undesirable	12	8		John Edgley
27, Jun 2003	Fri	The UK and USA were right to liberate Iraq.
30, May 2003	Fri	Re-examination of a controversial legal case - Michael Stone				Anne Ralphs
25, APR 2003	Fri	Students should pay for their education	7	11		Ralph Husband
25, APR 2003	Fri	Youngsters are less capable of entertaining themselves now				Ralph Husband
28, Mar 2003	Fri	We are taking the wrong actions to defeat Global Warming	4	8	2	Louise Atkins
28, Mar 2003	Fri	Britain has delusions of grandeur	1	15		Louise Atkins
28, Feb 2003	Fri	Road tolls make sense	2	9	0	Nigel Oates
28, Feb 2003	Fri	Balloon debate (best car)(winner Rover 3500s P6)				David Brown
31, Jan 2003	Fri	War with Iraq is inevitable	12	5		Chris Stanbury
31, Jan 2003	Fri	Indecision is good	2	7	8	Chris Stanbury
27, DEC 2002	Fri	Christmas should be abolished	1	25		Father Xmas
27, DEC 2002	Fri	Balloon debate (Father Christmas, Scrooge etc.)				Father Xmas
12, DEC 2002	Thu	GM crops should be allowed in Britain	5	18	1	John Edgley
12, DEC 2002	Thu	Balloon debate (a vegetable) - winner was Leek				John Edgley
22, Nov 2002	Fri	The BBC should no longer be supported by a licence fee	9	18		Mike Barclay
22, Nov 2002	Fri	British TV is the best in the World (6 minute)	22	5		Mike Barclay
14, Nov 2002	Thu	Court - Barry George was innocent (Jill Dando)	10	2		Anne Ralphs
14, Nov 2002	Thu	Mickey Mouse would make a good president				Anne Ralphs
25, Oct 2002	Fri	Fireworks should be outlawed	9	12	0	Chris Stanbury
25, Oct 2002	Fri	Balloon debate (a firework) - winner was Sparklers	12	6		Chris Stanbury
10, Oct 2002	Thu	British licensing laws are outdated	9	4		Joe Duthie
10, Oct 2002	Thu	Balloon debate (A drink) - winner was Whisky				Joe Duthie
27, Sep 2002	Fri	Protest is a good way to change Government & public opinions	12	10		Chris Stanbury
27, Sep 2002	Fri	British is best	8	14		Chris Stanbury
12, Sep 2002	Thu	NO DEBATE (Swallowcliffe Society Outing)
23, Aug 2002	Fri	This house would reform the second chamber	7	13	2	Hope Elletson
23, Aug 2002	Fri	Society would benefit from more debate (6 minute)	9	12	1	Hope Elletson