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Speculation is mounting that Prime Minister Boris Johnson will be in Liverpool tomorrow.

Rumours are abound that the PM will head to the city as a 'neutral' meeting point with Irish Taoiseach Leo Varadkar for crunch talks over Brexit and the Irish border issue.

Sources suggest it is likely that Mr Johnson will be in Liverpool - with the city seen as an appropriate location given its geography.

The move has not been confirmed, but if it is - we understand the Prime Minister will not be giving media interviews.

Update: Number 10 has just issued the following statement

"The Prime Minster and the Taoiseach will meet tomorrow at lunchtime in the North West of England to discuss Brexit. This will be a private meeting to allow both leaders and their teams to have detailed discussions."

The ECHO understands Liverpool will be the location of the meeting.

It has been confirmed that there will be no media opportunities during the visit.

The idea of Liverpool being seen as a potentially 'neutral' venue by Mr Johnson could come as a shock to Scousers - who have a difficult history with the Prime Minister.

(Image: PA)

Mr Johnson was of course editor of The Spectator magazine in 2004 when it published a story containing horrific slurs against the Hillsborough Disaster victims, murdered Liverpool engineer Ken Bigley - and the entire city.

While his then party leader Michael Howard forced him to come up to the city and offer a disingenuous apology at the time - he recently refused to say sorry as Prime Minister when prompted by Garston and Halewood MP Maria Eagle.

Tweeting today, Metro Mayor Steve Rotheram - who was heavily involved in the Hillsborough Justice Campaign - said: "If Boris Johnson is in Liverpool this week – he should put time aside to, at long last, acknowledge the pain he caused as Editor of the Spectator, in publishing an article that smeared our city and the lives of 96 football fans who lost their lives at Hillsborough."

He added: "On three separate occasions when I have raised this issue with him, and on the floor of House of Commons when pressed by @meaglemp , he has refused to apologise for the hurt those comments caused.

"If Boris Johnson wishes to be a Prime Minister for the whole United Kingdom – not merely parts of it – he must do the right thing and apologise unreservedly, once and for all."

It had been strongly suggested Liverpool was the destination.

But Irish journalists are now reporting that Irish premier Leo Varadkar has told his cabinet the meeting will be in Cheshire.

At the end of September, the ECHO met the Prime Minister at a Downing Street event and urged him to come to Liverpool and hear about the challenges people are facing - and the reasons many are unhappy with his past actions.

He said that he would 'be along' at some point.

It looks like that point may well now be tomorrow - but whether Mr Johnson will have the front to hear the concerns of the people of the city remains to be seen.

The ECHO will be provide updates on Mr Johnson's movements if and when they occur.