Simon English: Straight-talking Merv has timed departure well

Outlook Is Sir Mervyn King really cheery, or has he just realised that it would be best, like Sir Alex Ferguson, to go out on a high, predicting a warm future, instead of on a low, predicting further woe?

The Governor's remarks yesterday that an economic recovery is in sight were to be welcomed, and let's hope he means what he says.

Not everyone in the City – to say the least – likes Sir Merv. They think his job is to be on their side. Instead, he prefers to tell them what's wrong with them.

It's possible that the most ardent (and best-informed) critic of bankers during the banking crisis was Sir Mervyn King. For that at least, we should give thanks. We will miss him when he is gone.