CRUISE Wars look set to break out again after it emerged Liverpool is to try its luck once again with a controversial plan to muscle in on Southampton’s business using public funds.

Despite then transport minister Paul Clark throwing out Liverpool’s bid to use its taxpayer- funded terminal for turnaround cruises only ten months ago, the city’s council has now reapplied to the new Government.

Southampton port bosses are fuming at the move, which they blasted as “a waste of taxpayers’ time and money”.

The £20m terminal was paid for by a mix of Government and European funding on the condition that it did not compete with privately funded rivals for moneyspinning turnaround cruises – trips that start and finish from the terminal, handling only day visits.

When the terminal was complete, Liverpool City Council then moved to get a change of use to permit turnaround cruises.

The proposal sparked a major row, with Associated British Ports (ABP), owner of the Port of Southampton, lobbying against Liverpool’s bid and warning of “massive damage” to Hampshire’s cruise business if Liverpool got the green light.

It subsequently emerged Liverpool docks bosses had asked counterparts in Portsmouth for support in return for their backing of its own cruise expansion ambitions.

Liverpool city leader Councillor Joe Anderson told a local newspaper: “It’s perverse that we should be held back by another city opposing another port – opposing our plans for expansion.

“I’m confident we have made a new and strong, powerful case and hopefully they will listen.”

Southampton port director Doug Morrison said: “It is a white elephant and that’s why they won’t let this go.

“We don’t have a problem with fair competition but this is funded by the taxpayer. Nothing has changed. We do’t see anything different about this new application.”