I AM fully aware from the letters column of this paper that many readers want to call time on the Merseytram debate. That’s quite understandable considering the years of political wrangling.

I only return to it because the issue has once again raised questions about the effectiveness of the Liverpool City Region.

Although he may regret being so frank now, Transport Minister Sadiq Khan did initially imply that if local politicians across Merseyside couldn’t prioritise the scheme, they could hardly expect the government to.

The Minister met a delegation in Liverpool last week to discuss the project and I was struck by the different reaction from politicians afterwards. Labour opposition leader Jo Anderson said “It was a really positive meeting, the tram is back on track”.

But Council leader Warren Bradley felt the government’s position was clear, the tram hadn’t got a prayer. Cllr Bradley wasn’t at the meeting, perhaps he hadn’t been invited. But his pessimistic outlook reminded me of the difficulty this scheme has always had in getting the full backing of the part of Merseyside that would most benefit from it, Liverpool.

Remember the lengthy disputes over which route should be built first and the ill disguised lack of enthusiasm for the tram by the then Liverpool Chief Executive David Henshaw in 2005?

It seems to me that Cllr Bradley is in line with the lukewarm approach that the city has always taken towards the £400m project.

So perhaps the Minister is right in detecting that the full hearted support is not there. The Liverpool City Region as a whole will need to demonstrate real commitment if they can.

Which brings me to Peter Kilfoyle’s criticism of the body that only came into being in January to work together in the interests of all six councils in the area. The Walton MP claims the cabinet of leaders lacks imagination and has potential conflicts of interest. Well of course the latter point is true. The tunnel tolls and the Tesco/Everton scheme are two examples. The challenge for the city region is to overcome these in the wider interest.

The city region chairman, Knowsley’s Ron Round, claims they have made progress in their first 10 months securing 6,000 jobs from the Future Jobs Fund for instance. But the tram scheme does present them with a challenge; doubters will be looking at the outcome.

The annual conference of the North West Labour Party took place this weekend in Southport. I would have thought with a General Election months away journalists would have been encouraged to come to the Floral Hall to see the delegates cheering the succession of cabinet ministers who I’m told addressed the delegates.

On the contrary, it became clear that reporting from the hall was not being encouraged. Encounters with ministers would have to be outside.

So what were Labour officials afraid of? Perhaps the mood was pretty downbeat, enlivened only by bitter wrangles over plans for all women short lists in places like Wigan.