Theresa May faces questions 'over CIA terror report'

Tony Blair's office have issued a statement saying the ex-PM "has always been opposed to the use of torture", after a call was made for former government leaders to face questions over Britain's involvement with a secret CIA-led interrogation and torture programme.

A spokesman for Blair said: "For the avoidance of doubt, Tony Blair has always been opposed to the use of torture, has always said so publicly and privately, has never condoned its use and - as is shown by internal government documentation already made public - thinks it is totally unacceptable.

"He believes the fight against radical Islamism is a fight about values, and acting contrary to those values - as in the use of torture - is therefore not just wrong but counter-productive."

Nick Clegg has called for Tony Blair and Jack Straw to give evidence about the UK's role in a brutal CIA-led interrogation and torture programme that was revealed last week..

The Deputy Prime Minister said those in charge at the time that CIA torture took place must answer questions about any British involvement and anyone found to have been complicit in torture must face the "full rule of the law."

He said: "The next pragmatic step is to let the police get on with their work as soon as possible but also ... to go, as Malcolm Rifkind has said, in pursuit of the truth without any fear or favour, including calling as witnesses, as individuals who need to be further questioned, politicians who were in charge ... of the government at the time."

The Home Secretary will be grilled over her involvement in parts of a controversial US report on CIA interrogation techniques which were hidden from the public.

Theresa May faces questions over her role in the parts which were redacted from the American Senate's damning report on torture techniques used by the CIA after 9/11.

MPs on the influential Home Affairs select committee want to know whether she asked for sections to be blacked out because they could embarrass Westminster.

Downing Street confirmed the Home Secretary met with the committee behind the US report and the encounter would have covered a "wide range of issues".

However, MPs are in the dark over the extent of the UK's involvement in the torture of terror suspects and want to know if former Prime Minister Tony Blair and his Foreign Secretary Jack Straw were in anyway complicit.

Mrs May will appear in front of the committee at 4:30pm.

Shadow home secretary Yvette Cooper says that there must be a judge-led public inquiry into the UK's role in a brutal and ineffective CIA-led interrogation and torture programme.

Speaking on Andrew Marr's BBC show, Ms Cooper said: "My instinct has always been that it would be the right thing to do."

More: Rifkind demands access to CIA torture report

Former or serving ministers may be called to give evidence over allegations of British involvement in torture, Sir Malcolm Rifkind has said.

Rifkind, the head of the Intelligence and Security Committee (ISC), said if UK agents were present when detainees were being tortured, it "would be quite against all standards of this country" and should be made public.

"If people deserve to be embarrassed, it's our job to embarrass them," he added.

Asked whether he could call ex-Prime Minister Tony Blair, David Miliband or Jack Straw to give evidence, Sir Malcolm Rifkind said: "We will request any former or serving minister who has a contribution to make to our inquiry to give evidence."

If ministers refuse to appear, it will imply they "have something to hide", Rifkind said.

Former Prime Minister Tony Blair and ex-Foreign Secretary Jack Straw should give evidence to a parliamentary panel about Britain's alleged links to torture if required, Alan Johnson has said.

The former Home Secretary said the UK must obtain the damning report into the CIA's post-9/11 interrogation programme in full to examine the UK's alleged involvement.

Mr Johnson told the BBC's Andrew Marr Show that he and ex-Foreign Secretary David Miliband conducted a "thorough investigation" into allegations of torture while they were in government.

"We could find no evidence of British agents being involved [in torture]," he said.

"I'm absolutely convinced that what was redacted, was what the Home Office says they wanted redacted."

The parliamentary panel investigating allegations of British involvement in torture following 9/11 has asked to see secret material from a damning CIA report.

Intelligence and Security Committee (ISC) chair Sir Malcolm Rifkind requested any redacted sections relating to the UK's role in the interrogation of terror suspects.

Sir Malcolm said it was for the US Government to decide whether to supply the material.

Asked if he was hopeful of success, he said: "I do not say I would be confident."

Downing Street has confirmed British spies spoke to their US counterparts to discuss blacking out some sections.

But it insisted it related only to "national security grounds" and was not to cover-up British complicity in torture.

Read more: How the CIA tortured its detainees

The devastating report into CIA interrogation techniques had some passages redacted at the request of British intelligence.

Tonight a member of Parliament's Intelligence and Security Committee told ITV News they want answers from the UK's security services.

ITV News Political Correspondent Carl Dinnen reports.

The Senate Committee that wrote the devastating report on CIA secret detention met 24 times with British officials, it has been revealed.

But a former Security Minister described some of the claims about his role in the meetings as "absolute rubbish".

The Government has insisted redactions made to the report at the request of the UK did not relate to alleged mistreatment of detainees.

But Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg has said there could yet be a full judicial inquiry into what, if any, involvement the UK had.

ITV News Political Correspondent Carl Dinnen reports.

The Foreign and Commonwealth Office has issued a correction to an earlier response to an FOI request on a meeting between the Home Secretary and members of the Senate Intelligence Committee.

The statement seeks to correct the record on when and whether the meeting took place.