Don't Hate, Debate! In Collaboration With Victim Support NI

Hello, hello, one and all! And welcome to this! A special event held in collaboration with Victim Support NI and hosted in the Crescent Arts Centre, titled Don't Hate, Debate!

In late 2025, it appeared that new hate crime legislation was likely to be tabled and debated in the NI Assembly, and Victim Support NI's position was that new legislation should be passed in order to better support victims. This event was held to explore the differing views on the topic and establish the best steps forward.

To that end two motions were debated, "This House Believes Hate Crime Legislation Is Not Fit For Purpose" and "This House Believes Communities Address Hate Crime Better Than The Criminal Justice System".

On the first motion, speaking for the Proposition were Beth Lynam, Lee Walker, and James Tourish, and speaking for the Opposition were Florence Dairo, Dhivyah Chandrasegaran, and Rosa Ivory.

On the second motion, speaking for the Proposition were Bakaer Noble, Nihal Bhatt, and Luke Coyle, and speaking for the Opposition were Maeve Gee, Mikayla Williams, and Rea Thien.

Timestamps as follows:

Debate one: This House Believes Hate Crime Legislation Is Not Fit For Purpose

(00:00:00) Order, order!

(00:00:00) Opening Remarks from the President, Daniel Devenney

(00:03:25) Rules of the Debate

(00:04:43) Vote of Prior Opinion

(00:05:49) Opening Remarks from the Guest Chair, Professor Kevin Brown

(00:06:44) Beth Lynam, First Prop

(00:12:59) Florence Dairo, First Opp

(00:19:43) Lee Walker, Second Prop

(00:26:45) Dhivyah Chandrasegaran, Second Opp

(00:34:24) James Tourish, Third Prop

(00:41:31) Rosa Ivory, Third Opp

(00:49:06) Questions from the House

(01:00:27) Closing Remarks from the President

(01:01:24) Closing Remarks from the Guest Chair, Professor Kevin Brown

(01:02:29) The Vote

(01:04:04) Inter-Debate Segue by Mandy McAuley

Debate two: This House Believes Communities Address Hate Crime Better Than The Criminal Justice System

(01:04:44) Second Motion

(01:05:17) Intro and Rules

(01:06:06) Vote of Prior Opinion

(01:06:59) Opening Remarks from the Guest Chair, Mandy McAuley

(01:07:28) Bakaer Noble, First Prop

(01:12:53) Maeve Gee, First Opp

(01:20:06) Nihal Bhatt, Second Prop

(01:27:10) Mikayla Williams, Second Opp

(01:33:31) Luke Coyle, Third Prop

(01:41:08) Rea Thien, Third Opp

(01:49:01) Questions from the House

(02:08:20) Closing Remarks from the Guest Chair, Mandy McAuley

(02:10:16) The Vote

(02:11:12) Closing Remarks from the President

(02:12:29) Meeting adjourned!

Thanks for listening!

This House Would Abolish The Monarchy

Hello, hello, one and all! And welcome to this! The eleventh ordinary meeting of the one hundred and seventy-seventh session of the Queen's University of Belfast Literary and Scientific Society! The House convened to discuss the motion, "This House Would Abolish The Monarchy".

Speaking for the Proposition were Maeve Gee, Emily Carter, Flynn Nugent, and Ella McMullin, and speaking for the Opposition were Tom McCormack, George Farnon, Elliot Dickie, and Beth Lynam.

Timestamps as follows:

(00:00:00) Order, order!

(00:03:28) President's Questions

(00:07:24) Private Members’ Business

(00:19:59) Minutes

(00:30:03) Rules of the Debate

(00:31:32) Vote of Prior Opinion

(00:32:41) Maeve Gee, First Prop

(00:40:13) Tom McCormack, First Opp

(00:48:25) Emily Carter, Second Prop

(00:52:51) George Farnon, Second Opp

(00:59:57) Flynn Nugent, Third Prop

(01:06:11) Elliot Dickie, Third Opp

(01:12:38) Ella McMullin, Fourth Prop

(01:20:02) Beth Lynam, Fourth Opp

(01:27:51) Questions from the House

(01:39:16) The Vote

(01:40:45) Announcements

(01:44:54) Meeting adjourned!

Thanks for listening!

Christmas Mini Debates 2025

Hello, hello, one and all! And welcome to this! The Christmas Party of the one hundred and seventy-seventh session of the Queen's University of Belfast Literary and Scientific Society! During a very festive visit to the House Bar on Botanic for Christmas Dinner, three motions were debated: "This House Believes Die Hard Is A Christmas Movie", "This House Regrets Christmas In November", and "This House Would Kill Santa".

On the first motion, speaking for the Proposition were Cormac Gallen, and Rea Thien, and speaking for the Opposition were Luke Collins, and Ella McMullin.

On the second motion, speaking for the Proposition were Ash Kaur, and Henry O'Riordan, and speaking for the Opposition were Daniel Devenney, and Jack Steele.

On the third motion, speaking for the Proposition were EJ Culleton, and Marc Ghaly, and speaking for the Opposition were Maeve Gee, and Oliver Eaton.

Timestamps as follows:

(00:00:00) Order, order!

(00:02:00) First Motion

(00:03:29) Cormac Gallen, First Prop

(00:06:58) Luke Collins, First Opp

(00:13:53) Rea Thien, Second Prop

(00:20:31) Ella McMullin, Second Opp

(00:26:05) The First Vote

(00:28:08) Second Motion

(00:29:05) Ash Kaur, First Prop

(00:32:32) Daniel Devenney, First Opp

(00:41:57) Henry O'Riordan, Second Prop

(00:52:44) Jack Steele, Second Opp

(01:02:56) The Second Vote

(01:04:14) Festive Banter

(01:07:09) Third Motion

(01:08:20) EJ Culleton, First Prop

(01:17:25) Maeve Gee, First Opp

(01:26:29) Marc Ghaly, Second Prop

(01:32:48) Oliver Eaton, Second Opp

(01:40:28) The Third Vote

(01:41:10) Meeting adjourned!

Thanks for listening!

This House Supports Complete Nuclear Disarmament

Hello, hello, one and all! And welcome to this! The tenth ordinary meeting of the one hundred and seventy-seventh session of the Queen's University of Belfast Literary and Scientific Society! This particular meeting was the annual Godkin Newcomers' Competition, and the House convened to discuss the motion, "This House Supports Complete Nuclear Disarmament".

Speaking for the Proposition were Zach Torley, Oliver Eaton, Ash Kaur, and Luke Coyle, and speaking for the Opposition were Marc Ghaly, Natanya Mordani, Nihal Bhatt, and William Browne.

Timestamps as follows:

(00:00:00) Order, order!

(00:01:20) President's Questions

(00:12:53) Private Members’ Business

(00:22:24) Minutes

(00:28:54) Introducing the Competitors and Judges

(00:30:15) Vote of Prior Opinion

(00:32:41) Rules of the Debate

(00:34:01) Zach Torley, First Prop

(00:38:56) Marc Ghaly, First Opp

(00:45:51) Oliver Eaton, Second Prop

(00:53:39) Natanya Mordani, Second Opp

(01:01:14) Ash Kaur, Third Prop

(01:08:33) Nihal Bhatt, Third Opp

(01:15:18) Luke Coyle, Fourth Prop

(01:23:11) William Browne, Fourth Opp

(01:31:48) Questions from the House

(01:44:43) The Vote

(01:48:34) Judges' Remarks

(01:52:29) The Results

(01:53:35) Announcements

(02:04:09) Meeting adjourned!

Thanks for listening!