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I haven't actually anything new to say, I was just trying to get one of the debates threads going again. Come on, you lot: what are you all doing out there?

The Debating Society is holding its Maiden Speakers Competition in the Union on Saturday. Anyone who hasn't spoken from the table in Lower Parliament Hall is eligible, and for an entry fee of just £3, you could win £50 in cash. The rounds begin at ten o'clock on Saturday morning, and the grand final...

To clear up any confusion which may arise from the Saint's beautifully phrased and incisive article, here's the score, web browsers: as of next Thursday, the final of the Maiden Speakers' Competition, I will be taking the chair in Lower Parliament Hall as Convenor's Assessor, allowing Miranda to con...

This week's Board meeting was gratifying; four ordinary members of the Society turned up. Keep coming! See how things actually work! First years or those intending to stand for the Board next year should be especially encouraged. And you'll advertise the time, won't you, Bean?

Well, nominations close tomorrow, and so far we have: Barry Joss, Sir Clement Freud and Chris Woodhead. Any more to come out of the woodwork, do you think? And are we having fun yet, children?

I agree wholeheartedly with Al. There is, also, another important point. Generally, a student will not be Rector. Indeed, generally, it may not be desirable that a student should be Rector. But there will be exceptions. What is wrong is for the University to say that a student CANNOT be Rector, simp...

It's very simple. Nominations for the rectorship close at noon on Friday 11th October. The candidates will be known shortly thereafter.

Sorry, Donald, didn't realise it was you. Myself, I've always rather favoured "Mr. Speaker/Madam Speaker", but "Mr. Convenor/Madam Convenor" is more usual. As for a stand-in, "Mr./Madam Acting Speaker" or "Mr./Madam Acting Convenor" is technically correct, but the "Acting" is often dropped. Generall...

Well, I'm always encouraged by someone who posts on The Sinner anonymously. It requires enormous courage. As for 'Convenor Depute', I don't quite know what you're driving at. Shortly after she was elected, the Convenor asked me if I would agree to be her nominee if ever she was unable to chair a deb...

At the risk of answering seriously a frivolous question, JWJM (or Johnny Mitchell, for 'tis he) was Chairman of Ways and Means from 1997 to 1999, under Marc Whitmore and then Marcus Booth. As I myself was Chairman of Ways and Means from 2000 to 2001, I shan't offer an opinion on who was the best. I ...

"This House Would Abstain" seems dangerously undebatable (if that's even a word). Arguing passionately that you don't care one way or the other? A little circular.

At the risk of sounding like an embittered geriatric, it used to be not uncommon for ordinary members of the Society to attend Board meetings. But then, they used to be clearly advertised, regular and at the same time each week (Monday lunchtime was popular for a while). We should advertise Board me...

Perhaps we can lay this argument to rest once and for all, as we seem to be going round in circles. Firstly, by the by, you will find if you read the Debating Society's new constitution that there is no reference to "the Board of Ten" but simply to "the Board". It happens that the current Board has ...

As a matter of fact, Al, the reason that several Board positions were changed last year was because a small group of members of the Society performed a long-overdue task, to whit rewriting and streamlining the constitution of the Debating Society. It's a shame people have to get hung up on whether t...

The Father of the House is not, in fact, on the Board. He may attend Board meetings, but then, so may any ordinary member of the Society. I wish more would do so.

That's you, isn't it, Mr. Mitchell? Perhaps some form of club (or support group) for ex-Chairmen of Ways and Means ought to be formed. When we restructured the Constitution of the Debating Society (and how could that NOT be a fun activity?) we tried to tread a fine line between maintaining the Socie...

The Chancellor appoints his Assessor (the current holder of the post is Professor David Brynmor Thomas). Generally, Sir Kenneth Dover has chosen former members of the University Executive as his Assessors.

I would have thought there was a case for saying that, as the students elect the Rector to represent them, it seems a bit pointless to have them elect an Assessor to represent the person they elected to represent them. No? In any event, an Assessor ought to be chosen by those for whom he 'assesses'....