The Third Way in English local politics: a discursive analysis of the talk of councillors

This thesis seeks to study the current historical era, when dominant political discourses are suggesting that ideology and ideological politics belong to the past, via a focus on the talk of local politicians. An ideological analysis of councillors' discussion of the current and past political situation in the council and further afield, and their own relation to it, is conducted. In this way, the discursive means through which the end-of-ideology era is practically realised, are highlighted. Of special relevance to this analysis is the Third Way agenda espoused by New Labour and its allies. This recommends the replacement of the traditional agonistic politics of left and right with a consensual, non-political politics. The thesis considers the wider historical conditions and effectiveness of this theory, including its association with the generalised, power-assisted process of political closure. [Continues.]