July saw Ozzy the giant mechanical bull and symbol of the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games unveiled in Birmingham New Street. The buzz about the station was high and served as a reminder of the success of last year’s Games. Almost at the same time we saw Victoria, Australia the planned hosts of the next Games in 2026 … Continue reading “Why are the Commonwealth Games struggling to find hosts?”
Author: Matt Lyons
REDI Updates: What is the Cost-of-living Crisis?
The latest edition of REDI-Updates is out now – providing expert data insights and clear policy guidance. In this edition, the WMREDI team investigates what factors are contributing to the cost-of-living crisis and the impact it is having on households, businesses, public services and the third sector. We also look at how the crisis in … Continue reading “REDI Updates: What is the Cost-of-living Crisis?”
What Could the £4 billion Expansion of Childcare Support mean for the West Midlands Economy?
In the 2023 Spring Statement the UK Government announced plans to expand free childcare to children between 9 months and 2 years old. Matt Lyons and Abi Taylor investigate what this could mean for the West Midlands. The UK Government announced a £4bn childcare expansion policy in England. Key objectives of the policy include removing … Continue reading “What Could the £4 billion Expansion of Childcare Support mean for the West Midlands Economy?”
The Creative Sector Vision: What Does It Say and What Might It Mean for the West Midlands?
On Wednesday the UK Government released the Creative Sector Vision a highly anticipated update to creative policy. Dr Matt Lyons provides a summary of the document and some initial reflections on what it could mean for the region. The Creative Sector Vision published yesterday is the much-anticipated latest iteration of the UK Government’s policy for … Continue reading “The Creative Sector Vision: What Does It Say and What Might It Mean for the West Midlands?”
Regional Input-Output Group Meeting
se On the 26th of April, City-REDI hosted a gathering for those interested in the development and application of regional input-output (IO) techniques in the UK. Matt Lyons summarizes the papers shared and the discussions had about the shared challenges and opportunities for researchers in the field. It is an exciting time for an input-output … Continue reading “Regional Input-Output Group Meeting”
Qatar World Cup 2022: Counting the Cost of the Beautiful Game
With the Qatar World Cup just underway, Matt Lyons takes a look at the costs of the megaevent for Qatar, and what the potential benefits might be for the host country. The Qatar World Cup kicked off (sorry) yesterday and an estimated 1.2 million visitors will visit the first Middle East nation to host the … Continue reading “Qatar World Cup 2022: Counting the Cost of the Beautiful Game”
An Early Assessment of the Economic Impact of the Birmingham Commonwealth Games
Dr Matt Lyons provides an early assessment of the economic impact of the 2022 Birmingham Commonwealth Games. The Commonwealth Games have kicked off in Birmingham and the buzz about the city has been infectious. Spectators have flocked to events to see elite athletes compete and/or to see the supporting art exhibits like the giant mechanical … Continue reading “An Early Assessment of the Economic Impact of the Birmingham Commonwealth Games”
The Wider Impacts of Cutting 91,000 Civil Service Jobs
The Government had recently proposed a cut in Civil Services jobs in an attempt to save £3.5 billion. Dr Matthew Lyons and Professor Anne Green consider the regional economic impact of the proposed cut of 91,000 civil servants and its consequences for levelling up. Introduction The civil service has been in the spotlight of UK … Continue reading “The Wider Impacts of Cutting 91,000 Civil Service Jobs”
The ‘2020 Shock’ on the Midlands Automotive Sector
Matt Lyons and Raquel Ortega-Argiles provide an analysis of the economic impact of Brexit and Covid-19 on the automotive sector in the Midlands during 2020. View our Midlands Engine Observatory project page The automotive industry remains an integral part of the national economy. The automotive industry is one of the UK’s major employers, supporting over … Continue reading “The ‘2020 Shock’ on the Midlands Automotive Sector”
Meet Matt Lyons, City-REDI / WMREDI’s New Research Fellow
I joined the City-REDI team as a research fellow in May 2021. The focus of my role is to develop and exploit the economic modelling capabilities of the institute. Prior to joining City-REDI, I have had the opportunity to work with different organisations across diverse research areas. In 2018, I worked at a London-based not-for-profit … Continue reading “Meet Matt Lyons, City-REDI / WMREDI’s New Research Fellow”