4 March 2004

The Third Way

Photo opportunity 5.45pm, Saturday 6 March, Tower Building, University of Dundee.

Tony Blair's "Third Way" for public services is the same as previous Conservative government policy according to Niall Dickson, CEO of The Kings Fund and former BBC social affairs editor who will air these views on Saturday evening (6 March) at the University of Dundee.

Niall Dickson's lecture, "The Third Way - Where now?" will analyse this ideology, how it came about as a political ideology and what it means today in the University's Saturday evening lecture series. Niall will discuss how Labour has used its Third Way ideology to transform the delivery and provision of health services in the UK, but that, in essence, many of these policies are not too different from the previous Conservative administration's approach to public services.

During a BBC career that spanned 15 years Niall was afforded a ringside seat as an observer and analyst of government policy. Now the poacher has turned gamekeeper as head of the influential health policy group The King's Fund. He will offer a unique perspective on the political direction of the UK.

The lecture will take place at 6pm in the Tower Extension Lecture theatre at the University of Dundee. The lecture is free and is open to the public.

This is the fourth of six lectures in the Saturday evening series. The next two lecturers are Dundee's own eminent scientists explaining their leading edge research. Professor Sue Black will deliver "Forensic Anthropology - much more than just a pile of old bones" on Saturday 1 May and Professor Cheryll Tickle will explain "Embryos, genes and evolution" on Saturday 22 May.

By Jenny Marra, Head of Press 01382 344910, out of hours: 07968298585, j.m.marra@dundee.ac.uk