Isle of Man-based businessman John Whittaker has found himself dragged into a war of words between Liverpool and Southampton over cruise liners.

The two cities are battling it out in the press after Liverpool applied to upgrade its cruise terminal facilities, which Southampton says would affect its cruise industry.

Last week, the southern city said cruise liner expansion on Merseyside would be an abuse of taxpayers' money, because cruise ships pay fees to Peel Holdings, which is based in the Isle of Man and so doesn't pay UK corporation tax.

But Liverpool City Council hit back at the weekend when it discovered Associated British Ports which owns the Port of Southampton, was based in Jersey.