Theresa May warns Donald Trump Britain will stop sharing crucial intelligence with the US if he brings back torture
Comes after new President sparked uproar by overturning expert advice to declare he will bring back waterboarding
THERESA May has warned Donald Trump that Britain will have to stop sharing crucial intelligence with the US if he brings back torture.
The new president has sparked uproar by overturning expert advice to declare brutal interrogation techniques - such as water boarding - do work and will start again.
But on her arrival in America tonight, the PM highlighted strict new rules that are now imposed on MI5 and MI6.
Ever since the furore over how al Qaeda suspects were mishandled following the Afghanistan invasion, our spies are forbidden from handing over any secrets that could lead to torture sessions.
Ahead of the two leaders first White House summit on Friday, the PM insisted: “Our guidance is very clear about the position that the UK takes, and our position has not changed, and will not change.
“We condemn torture, and my view on that won't change – whether I'm talking to you or talking to the President.”
The row threatens to overshadow Mrs May’s historic first visit to the US to become the first foreign leader to hold face to face talks with President Trump.
But the Premier stopped short of directly contradicting his views on if torture is a useful method of forcing vital information out of terrorists.
Quizzed on if she personally thinks torture works, the PM would only say: “The real question you should be asking is what do we think about torture?
“We do not believe in torture.”
During a US TV interview on Wednesday night, Mr Trump said: “Does torture work? Yes absolutely”.
Insisting he had been told that by “people at the highest level of intelligence”, he added: “We have to fight fire with fire”.
But after authorizing the use of torture again, Trump said he would leave it to his CIA director and defence secretary to decide if it was necessary.
Outraged British MPs and celebrities piled in to demand the PM face down the president during their Oval Office summit talks this afternoon.
Harry Potter author JK Rowling tweeted: “History’s watching, Theresa”.
Laying out our spies’ strict rules, ex-GCHQ officer Matt Tait said: “Even laying aside the enormous domestic law issues this brings up, this will make it impossible for UK intelligence cooperation with the Trump administration across a range of intelligence programs.
“The UK will have to restrict the uses, categories and programs of intelligence sharing with the US if there is any risk the US could use that intelligence to intentionally engage in war crimes.”