Michael Gove briefly meets one mayor at northern conference

Michael Gove, at the Convention of the North in Manchester on Wednesday, said he took inspiration for levelling up from Margaret Thatcher. Photograph: Gary Roberts Photography/Rex/Shutterstock

Michael Gove has promised to bring the “spirit” of Thatcherism to the north of England, at a conference where he failed to meet most of the region’s leaders.

The northern mayors wanted to lobby Gove to get the government to strip Transpennine Express (TPE) of its rail contract, after the operator cancelled up to 46% of its services in recent days.