All hail the naysayers. And this week feels full of the joys of pessimism – Liam Fox's broadside on metro mayors, the new Welsh secretary's concerns on reorganisation and fears over the potential collapse of the Manchester health deal. The question is: Are they right to be sceptical?

Dr Fox's opinion that metro mayors should not be imposed on the whole country may be shared by a large chunk of the sector – particularly those in county areas – although his assertion that they are only for ‘failing urban authorities' is not only patronising but also inaccurate. Failing to reach their full potential is not the same as failing.