Liverpool City Region Mayor Steve Rotheram has escalated a war of words with Grant Shapps - describing the Transport Secretary as 'brazen' in his comments about northern transport.
Relations between Mr Shapps and northern mayors have become increasingly tense in recent days after the Secretary of State labelled criticism of his government's rail plans in the north 'irrational.'
Mayor Rotheram and other northern leaders have been vocal in their criticism of the government's controversial Integrated Rail Plan, which was released last year.
