Debate and how does it differ from other forms of direct communication

Deputy Prime Minister

(Second Speaker of the Opening Government, OPA)

Your job is to develop your team's arguments further. Refute everything that the first speaker of the opposition has said, but don't spend all your time just refuting. Your team's position cannot be fully stated and sufficiently disclosed, so spending 5 minutes just attacking one opposition speaker alone is clearly not a winning tactic.

You should support your colleague's arguments. Even if the position of the opposition has been completely defeated, do not raise the white flag. "Clarify" what your partner has said. Do not capitulate, even if you feel that the Government's case is completely broken. The judges will be watching carefully and will punish such a "slip-up" very harshly. You will earn a much higher Speaker's Score if you support your colleague rather than rushing headlong into a "war" on the opposition field, leaving your colleague out of it.