This house would abolish compulsory retirement - The Nays have it!

It is perhaps fitting that as the World Cup approaches, our "match" should be decided by the debating equivalent of a penalty shoot-out. Both sides put up a good fight and at the final whistle the scores were level, 17-all (!) But in debating as in cup-tie football there has to be a winner. When the Floor cannot separate the teams, it is the responsibility of the Chairman to do so. (Yup, this is where the shoot-out analogy breaks down, so let's call it a recourse to video evidence instead, whatever the objections of Monsieur Platini.) And as his Report Card below makes clear, our special guest ref, Mr Stephen B, finds in favour of the Opposing team (though one may disagree with his conclusions - he is a Palace fan after all - and the Comments section is open for any such dissenting voices). Whatever. Debate only ever gives rise to further debate, and the result will have to stand. The Nays have it. The motion is defeated. Release the tickertape...