down the bench?

[Tedwonny]

I was watching an English debate the other day and the debators kept repeating the phrase "down the bench". What does it exactly mean in a debate? I have tried checking several dictionaries but in vain.

E.g.

Ladies and gentlemen, we've been telling you down the bench today that ...

thanks a lot

[emsr2d2]

I was watching an English debate the other day and the debators kept repeating the phrase "down the bench". What does it exactly mean in a debate? I have tried checking several dictionaries but in vain.

E.g.

Ladies and gentlemen, we've been telling you down the bench today that ...

Thanks a lot.

I've never heard that before. Are you absolutely sure those were the words? Is there a link to the debate online?

[HanibalII]

E.g.

Ladies and gentlemen, we've been telling you down the bench today that ...

thanks a lot

In context, it just sounds like they're referring to the audience?

[JMurray]

Ladies and gentlemen, we've been telling you down the bench today that ...

Perhaps they mean those sitting on their side of the debate. They might not actually be sitting on a bench but I can imagine them referring to the "team" in that way.
In which case it means: "We, on this side of the debate, have all been telling you that ..."

not a teacher