Tory MP Bob Stewart says he had been ‘kind of a torturer’ when he was posted to Northern Ireland in the Troubles
The former Army officer said he was opposed to waterboarding but that other techniques like sleep deprivation and lack of food could prove useful
CONSERVATIVE MP Bob Stewart has said that he was "kind of a torturer" when he was posted to Northern Ireland in the Troubles.
The former army officer said he was opposed to waterboarding but other techniques like sleep deprivation and withdrawing food could prove useful when large numbers of people were at risk.
The MP told BBC Radio 5 Live today that some torture methods could be justified, after US President Donald Trump said he was told that "waterboarding works" overnight.
The former army official said: "We don't like torture. No one likes torture. Not even Trump likes torture.
"But the fact of the matter is... sometimes it might work, and sometimes it might be justified."
Mr Blackman went on: "I don't agree with waterboarding but a certain amount of persuasion might be justified if someone for example had the knowledge about where a nuclear weapon that was going to explode in London was."
"That is where I suggest that people might say a certain amount of persuasion could be justified. I'm qualifying it all the way through."
Waterboarding is a brutual and highly controversial form of torture where a suspect is made to feel like they are drowning - a technique previously used by the CIA.
RELATED STORIES
The MP was asked about which methods he thought might be acceptable in an extreme situation.
Mr Blackman suggested: "sleep deprivation, lack of food... perhaps, as I've done, showing people pictures of their friends that have been blown up."
He told the programme: "Technically as you look at it today I was a kind of a torturer."
The news comes as scores of MPs have begged Theresa May to bring up the issue with Donald Trump when she goes to visit him in America today.
The Prime Minister is being pushed to challenge the new US president after he said the waterboarding of terror suspects “absolutely works”.
Harry Potter author JK Rowling sent a message warning Mrs May that history will judge the stance she takes towards the controversial politician in her historic first meeting with him.
In a tweet sent as Mrs May left the UK the vocal critic of Mr Trump, who has voiced concern over his executive order around abortion this week, she wrote: “History’s watching, Theresa.”
Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn also urged the PM to challenge Mr Trump over his support for waterboarding., saying she “must put our values, not America first”, adding: “Say no to waterboarding. It’s torture.”
No 10 have declined to say whether the issue would be on the agenda, but Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson and Brexit Secretary David Davis have both commented on the news.
Mr Johnson said: "The Prime Minister made the position of the Government very clear in the House of Commons, and that is unchanged."
Mr Davis said: "We don't condone it, we don't agree with it under any circumstances whatsoever."