Former Minister for Merseyside Michael Heseltine will decide whether a Conservative Government would fund Merseytram.

Conservative leader David Cameron revealed in an exclusive interview that he had asked Lord Heseltine to report back on the scheme, ahead of the General Election.

He also announced Liverpool would have a dedicated minister.

But, despite admitting the Tories were unlikely to win any seats in the city, he said the party could not form the next Government without winning in Wirral, Sefton, and Warrington.

Mr Cameron said he “could not guarantee particular funding schemes” like the Housing Market Renewal Initiative which is currently mid-way through a 15-year programme, but for which the last committed funding runs out next year.

“I think the country is crying out for change, and it’s our task to prove that can come from the Conservative party that recognises the importance of cities like Liverpool,” he said.

Lord Heseltine was behind a major Conservative push to regenerate Liverpool’s waterfront and Albert Dock in the wake of the 1981 Toxteth riots.

Mr Cameron said he recognised the former deputy prime minister’s in-depth knowledge of the area, and had called on him to look at the £400m-plus Line One Liverpool to Kirkby tram route.

Politicians in Liverpool are currently working to revive Merseytram, and transport secretary Sadiq Khan recently “clarified” his position after appearing to have killed the project off.

He said he was willing to entertain a new bid for the scheme, as long as it was a regional priority.

Liverpool Labour leader Cllr Joe Anderson, Labour group leader in Liverpool, is working to have Merseytram replace a new £200m link road from Switch Island to the Port of Liverpool.

“I know there’s disappointment that people were led to believe this might happen and then the Government pulled the plug,” said Mr Cameron.

“There are a number of major transport infrastructure projects that have been in the pipeline in the big cities, and I have asked Michael Heseltine – whose knowledge of Merseyside is pretty good – to look at it before the election.

“This is one of the ones he will look at.

“There are extensions of such systems in Manchester and Leeds, but, let’s be honest, money is going to be very tight.”

But regardless of the outcome of the Heseltine review, Liverpool would have its own dedicated minister.

“We will have city ministers if we form the next Government, I think they work better than regional ministers.

“Maybe we will not have an MP in the city centre, but I am hopeful on the Wirral, in Warrington and Sefton.”

He said many of the constituents of these seats work in Liverpool which would put the city and the area “on the focus map of the [Conservative] Government”.

“The truth is there will be a big change in the overall representation in the Merseyside area.

“We can’t form the next Government without winning seats in Wirral, Warrington and Southport.

“Let me be clear this is a very different Conservative party with a different leader with a very big commitment to Merseyside and Liverpool, and it is going to govern in a different way and it recognises it needs to win consent and support in our cities.”

When asked if he should apologise for the Tories’ record in Liverpool, he said: “I think we’re past that stage.

“I’m more interested in whether we are doing the right thing to represent your views and, on the issue of ports and ratings changes, I think we were.”

When asked about stalled regeneration projects like Liverpool’s Boot estate, he said they were “not going to be left in the state they’re in”.

“Just because we don’t have a Member of Parliament in Liverpool does not mean we don’t want to recover in this area and have good representation and stand up for the area.”

Last night he took part in a question and answer session with voters in the crucial Sefton Central seat.