THE North West England Member of the European Parliament, Jacqueline Foster, has pledged her full support to the Daily Post’s Get Onboard campaign.

She blasted EU grant restrictions which “hamstring” the vitally-important future development of projects like the cruise terminal.

Ms Foster, who is Conservative EU Transport and Tourism spokesman, is the first MEP publicly to back the campaign.

She fervently believes there must be a way forward to resolve the ban on cruise liner turnarounds – starting and finishing voyages – at Liverpool Pier Head.

Ms Foster, whose office is at Bromborough, Wirral, said: “I am following the Daily Post campaign with great interest.

“This issue has long been a bugbear of mine and I am delighted the Get Onboard campaign is receiving such widespread support.

“Why should cruise passengers, of which I am one, spend time and money slogging all the way down from the north of England to get on a liner on the south coast?

“We have an iconic skyline and a dynamic city here, on our north west doorstep, which can proudly fulfil this function.”

The Daily Post and Liverpool City Council are calling for the EU to waive the restrictions on the £15m grant used to build the new Liverpool Cruise Terminal.