Theresa May will not confirm she will tell Donald Trump torture is unacceptable

Prime Minister reaffirms Britain does not sanction torture, but doesn’t say she will make this clear to President

Theresa May has refused to say whether she will raise the issue of torture with Donald Trump when she meets him at the White House on Friday.

During Prime Minister's Questions, Ms May was quizzed on whether she would “make clear” to the US President that the UK would “under no circumstance” facilitate torture if he brings it back into US policy.

While the Prime Minister reaffirmed Britain does not sanction torture and that that position would continue, she did not say whether she would make this clear to Mr Trump.

Addressing the Prime Minister, Tory MP Andrew Tyrie said: “President Trump has repeatedly said that he will bring back torture as an instrument of policy.

“When she sees him on Friday, will the Prime Minister make clear that under no circumstances will she permit Britain to be dragged into facilitating that torture, as we were after September the 11th?”

In response, Ms May said: “I can assure my honourable friend that we have a very clear position on torture. We do not sanction torture, we do not get involved with that and that will continue to be our position.”

Mr Trump has said on several occasions that torture is a good idea and that procedures such as waterboarding are not “tough enough” when dealing with terrorist groups like Isis.

During his presidential campaign trail, the business mogul called for waterboarding and “a hell of a lot worse” if he were to get into office.