Michael Gove said he understands why Scousers will be cynical about his promises to level up - but said he believes the tough austerity measures taken in the past decade were needed.
The Secretary of State for Levelling Up was the keynote speaker at the Convention of the North, which was held in Liverpool today (Tuesday).
Speaking from The Spine in the city's Paddington Village, Mr Gove, who last week revealed his much-anticipated Levelling Up white paper, said: "We simply can’t go on with the gulf between rich and poor, North and South, growing. It is not simply a matter of social justice, it is also a matter of economic efficiency."
