Gerard Lyons

‘One of the most influential analysts of the global economy’ - The Times. Agent & public speaking: Northbank Talent Management @NorthbankTalent Fulham fan

[Gerard Lyons @DrGerardLyons]

Quick update: I’ve regained access to my X account. Please disregard any posts or messages sent from 6 June onwards.

Thank you to everyone who reported the issue, offered support and helped along the way. And thanks to X for its assistance; it’s much appreciated.

Best, Gerard

[Gerard Lyons @DrGerardLyons]

Worth remembering that the UK has had a mixed economy throughout the post-war period. Public spending of around 35-40% of GDP was seen as acceptable and it was at the high end of that at the end of the Thatcher era and has risen to more than 45% today. This is very far from a neoliberal economy that the PM references and provides little justification for higher state control

[Gerard Lyons @DrGerardLyons]

Some thoughts for @CapX on the challenges facing the eleventh chancellor since the 2008 global financial crisis

Hopefully he resists pressure to search for new taxes, but looks to control public spending, simplify the tax system and improve incentives

https://t.co/ea0wYRyLTv

[Gerard Lyons @DrGerardLyons]

Re Rachel Reeves: It was a somewhat disappointing chancellorship.

Her two biggest problems were first that she never developed a credible strategy for growth and second that her party appeared to lack any sense of economic reality, resisting calls for welfare reform.

She inherited a difficult situation but immediately made it worse by talking down the economy. Her first Budget contained £69 billion of additional public spending that the country could not afford, financed through higher borrowing and a tax on jobs that contributed to job losses and higher unemployment.

She talked of boosting public investment, which was welcome, and took steps towards this in her first Budget, but her overall policies dampened private sector investment plans.

Her record with the markets was mixed. She told the markets what they wanted to hear and in her second Budget rebuilt her fiscal buffer. But she failed to curb public spending, especially welfare, and left the public finances in a perilous state.

She was also unlucky. The Iran war pushed up energy prices. Without it, inflation and interest rates would probably have fallen further.

[Gerard Lyons @DrGerardLyons]

Very sad news. RIP. I met him when he was Fulham manager - a genuinely engaging man. He took us from the old Third Division to the Second (today’s Championship), and under him 1-0 was our most common score. It is remarkable that England appointed him straight from a Championship club. Great manager & player.

[David Buik @truemagic68]

Truly sad to hear of the death of Kevin KEEGAN - a brilliant aficionado of our national game treasured by Liverpool, SV Hamburg, Newcastle United, Southampton, Scunthorpe, Fulham and England. Thank you for your brilliant service. Condolences to your family - RIP

[Gerard Lyons @DrGerardLyons]

My @Telegraph piece on devolution. It has the potential to unlock stronger growth, but there is nothing inevitable about its success

https://t.co/1KYFTER1ik

[Gerard Lyons @DrGerardLyons]

Quick update: I’ve regained access to my X account. Please disregard any posts or messages sent from 6 June onwards.

Thank you to everyone who reported the issue, offered support and helped along the way. And thanks to X for its assistance; it’s much appreciated.

Best, Gerard

[Gerard Lyons @DrGerardLyons]

And, most importantly, I was honoured to be awarded an Honorary Doctor of Letters by Queen Mary University of London for my work in "economics, finance and policy globally” (4/4).

It is 43 years since I first came to Queen Mary. I was 22, had a lot more hair and arrived to begin a PhD researching the efficiency of financial futures markets.

After spotting an advert in The Economist, I applied for the Queen Mary award in association with the Henley Centre for Forecasting in the City.

What I discovered was a university that combined intellectual seriousness with openness, opportunity and ambition. Queen Mary encouraged people regardless of background to think independently, work hard and believe they could make a difference.

While a small economics department, which celebrates its sixtieth anniversary this year, it was home to an extraordinary concentration of talent, including Maurice Peston, David Currie, Bernard Corry, Victor Bulmer-Thomas and Paul Ormerod among others. I am, and was, fortunate enough to count them as friends.

The lessons I learnt there have stayed with me. Incentives matter. Theory does not tell the whole story. You need to walk around and see how the economy actually works, and ask what it means for people on the Clapham omnibus. And, as Peston often advised, sometimes the best thing to do is simply to move on.

Traditions mattered too. The Senior Common Room opened each mid-morning for tea and the economics department held court. By evening, the debate simply migrated to the Senior Common Room bar. Our excuse for being regulars was that it sat conveniently beside the economics department - a piece of university planning I always considered remarkably sensible! Among my contemporaries were many impressive economists, including David Blanchflower and Joe Ganley.

Today, Queen Mary is one of the great success stories of UK higher education. It was ranked seventh in the UK for research quality in the latest Research Excellence Framework, with 92% of its research assessed as world-leading or internationally excellent. It is also recognised as a national leader in social mobility and continues to rise in the global rankings.

Its international standing continues to grow. US News ranked Queen Mary 94th in the world and ninth in the UK in its 2025-26 Best Global Universities rankings, while the QS World University Rankings now place it 110th globally after a rise of 35 places in just two years.

Queen Mary turned me from an economics student into an economist, and I remain grateful for the friendship, opportunities and intellectual curiosity it gave me.

It was also particularly special for my family that our eldest daughter, Elf, was also honoured by Queen Mary, receiving her honorary doctorate in absentia

[Gerard Lyons @DrGerardLyons]

Quick update: I’ve regained access to my X account. Please disregard any posts or messages sent from 6 June onwards.

Thank you to everyone who reported the issue, offered support and helped along the way. And thanks to X for its assistance; it’s much appreciated.

Best, Gerard

[Gerard Lyons @DrGerardLyons]

I joined @NickFerrariLBC to discuss devolution (3/4)

https://t.co/fwyeEoTzQZ

[Liam Halligan @LiamHalligan]

💥📺🎙️On the latest edition of "Planet Normal", I am joined by @Fox_Claire – as my usual co-pilot @AllisonPearson is away.

We discuss the UK's prospects amidst upheaval at the top of government – and also the Brexit referendum 10 years on.

Leading economist @DrGerardLyons joins as guest – and warns of market turmoil and a possible debt crisis if incoming Prime Minister Burnham plays fast and loose with the public finances.

Free to listen via link below

@Telegraph

https://t.co/Wt6wRbmZkX

[Gerard Lyons @DrGerardLyons]

3/3 in FACup 4th round in 1973/74 when we drew 1-1 at the Cottage. I seem to remember, Rodney Marsh also won ITV Big Match’s golden goal of the season in 1976/77 for one of the two he scored when we won 2-0 v Luton at Kenilworth Road in Div 2. @FulhamishPod @FulhamFC

[Gerard Lyons @DrGerardLyons]

1/3 Fulham had success yesterday on Match of the Day! No, not that we set a record for being the last match on. I wouldn’t be surprised if we already set that record a few seasons ago🤣 Harry Wilson won Goal of the Season for his goal in the 1-2 v Palace at the Cottage.

[Gerard Lyons @DrGerardLyons]

2/3 The public voted for their top three goals: Harry Wilson and Harrison Reed made the final 3. Shearer & Rooney then chose the winner and opted for Harry Wilson. I think it’s the second time a Fulham player has won BBC’s Goal of the Season, following Alan Mullery v Leicester

[Gerard Lyons @DrGerardLyons]

@FulhamishPod Golden Goals’ Season

[Gerard Lyons @DrGerardLyons]

I have no sympathy for Southampton F.C.. But if only such urgency were shown in punishing the real cheats of English football: Manchester City F.C. and Walham Green, AKA Chelsea F.C..

[Gerard Lyons @DrGerardLyons]

@FulhamishPod Always missing opportunities

[Gerard Lyons @DrGerardLyons]

My column in @thetimes today. No-one should raise their hopes of coordinated policy action from this June’s G7 Summit in France. If countries are going to act it will be for domestic reasons.

[Gerard Lyons @DrGerardLyons]

My column in @thetimes today. Global imbalances are the central theme of the G7 Summit in Évian-les-Bains this June. Under the French presidency, the aim is to restore the G7 to its original purpose as a forum addressing major economic challenges.