Congratulations to the winners of the MDX Open, ‘When Everything Was Beautiful, and Nothing Hurt’ (Srishti Krishnamoorthy-Cavell, Cambridge, and Eitan Har-Oz, formerly The Hebrew University of Jerusalem). They won the final from Closing Government defeating ‘He thinks he’s the pro’ (Francesca Reynolds, UCL, and Greg Weaving, unaffiliated) in Opening Government, ‘LSE Bramworth’ (Josh Ashworth and Daniel Bramble) in Opening Opposition, and ‘Basic White Girl and Token Male’ (Rachel O’Nunain and Louis Collier, Oxford) in Closing Opposition on the motion ‘This House believes that the pursuit of social mobility is doing more harm than good’.

The final was judged by Nisha Telesford in the chair, and Craig McDonald, Bailey Reid, Tom Redgrave, and Alena Bell-Gam on the panel.

The top speaker of the tournament was Louis Collier with an average of 81.75.

CAs of the MDX Open – Benjamin Hilton (left), Nisha Telesford (centre), Saskia Neibig (right) – © Nisha Telesford

The tournament took place on April 14^th in Middlesex and the Chief Adjudicators were Nisha Telesford, Benjamin Hilton, and Saskia Neibig.

The Break:

1. Basic White Girl and Token Male (Rachel O’Nunain, Louis Collier, Oxford): 10 Points
2. When Everything Was Beautiful, and Nothing Hurt (Srishti Krishnamoorthy-Cavell, Cambridge, Eitan Har-Oz, formerly The Hebrew University of Jerusalem): 10 Points
3. LSE Bramworth (Josh Ashworth, Daniel Bramble): 10 Points
4. LSE Fazman (Josh Freeman, Razzaq Fazail): 9 Points
5. He thinks he’s the pro (Francesca Reynolds, UCL, Greg Weaving, unaffiliated): 8 Points
6. Spice Girls Gardening Society B (Maddy Copley, Alastair Sledge, Durham): 8 Points
7. Shahira, Shahira! (Becky Elkington, Shahira Yasmin, Imperial College London): 8 Points
8. Always 1 point from breaking (Athan Siah, Cambridge, Ari Isaacs, unaffiliated): 7 Points

Judge Break:

Alena Bell-Gam, Bailey Reid, Benjamin Hilton, Craig McDonald, Ernest Leung, Gavin Alexander, Nisha Telesford, Saskia Neibig, Shaq Scott-Davis, Thomas Lindsay, Thomas Redgrave

Motions:

R1: This House would make voting power depreciate with age.

R2: This House would prevent the development of geoengineering techniques.

Infoslide: Geoengineering is the deliberate intervention in the Earth’s climate and weather systems.

R3: This House would abolish juries in all criminal trials.

R4: Given the opportunity, This House would reject immortality.

SF: This House believes that the Israeli government should grant citizenship to permanent Palestinian residents in Israeli-controlled areas.

Infoslide: Israel has about 8.6 million citizens, 2.1 million of whom are not Jewish. East Jerusalem and Area C of the West Bank are Israeli controlled territories; they have a Palestinian population of about 600,000, almost all of whom are not citizens.

F: This House believes that the pursuit of social mobility is doing more harm than good.

cmc./lok.