Career
Following the reduction in Scottish constituencies in the British House of Commons under the Scotland Acting 1998, that constituency was abolished for the 2005 general election. Lyons stood in the new East Dunbartonshire, where he lost to the Liberal Democrat Jo Swinson. Following his defeat he became a consultant on trade unions for FirstGroup.
Before his election to parliament in 2001 he had been a UNISON official
He consistently voted against and opposed the Iraq war of 2003.