This was a very good post half-term session with our Knightsbridge Debating & Interview Club.
Our skill focus this week looked at Conclusions - how to end proposition and opposition arguments effectively as well as overall debates in an impressive manner.
Our newsround saw reference to the D-Day anniversary commemorations, the General Election, the ongoing conflict in Gaza, the election results in India, sporting contests from the T20 cricket world cup, the European and the Mexican elections.
For our warm up we then turned to our interview style philosophical question with an emphasis on 'why'/justification?:
'Should the voting age be lowered?'
The group voted against lowering the voting with 90% against.
There was a feeling that in some instances a vote at 16/17 would align with driving and other responsibilities and encourage participation. It was also felt that children should be allowed to have a say on their futures, particularly on the topic of Global warming/Climate change. However, many felt that 18 struck the right balance or indeed that even more maturity was needed post university to acquire the vote. Others wanted jobs and the paying of taxes to be the linked to voting.
Our main debate looked at Rishi Sunak's plan to reintroduce national service if he formed the next Government.
The group split rejected the motion at both tellings. Some did like the idea of service and community or volunteering work and gave examples across the world of countries with national service systems.
Many others felt this was uncalled for by the military, unhelpful and unnecessarily expensive at £2.5 billion. Others thought that children/young adults should have a choice as to whether they participated and it might interrupt or prevent them from completing/working on other activities or indeed sporting commitments.
We ended the session with a reflection on the remarkable sacrifice of those that took part in D-Day as we remember 80 years on.
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