The London Debate Challenge aims to bring debating to all of London, giving teams of pupils from years 7-10 from each of London's 32 boroughs an introduction to competitive debating, while improving their analytical skills and logical reasoning. 

The ESU assists each borough in running a competition amongst government maintained schools to select a team to take part in the all-London final. 

The London Debate Challenge began in 2001 (as the London Debate Programme) with the aim of bringing debating to all of London's boroughs, by offering training to all maintained schools in the capital. Ten years later debating has been taken up by schools and local authorities with vigour across London.

How the debate is run

• The LDC debates consist of two teams, with three speakers on each team - known as the extended Mace format.
• After the main four speeches, the debate opens up to the floor, and then the summary speakers sum up the debate and answer floor questions.
• The opposition summary goes first, followed by the proposition summary. The main speeches are 4 minutes in length (with 30 seconds protected at the beginning and end of the speech), and the summary speeches are 3 minutes long, with no Points of Information.