A conservative judge picked by Donald Trump to sit on the US Supreme Court has told senators there is no such thing as a Republican or Democratic judge.

Neil Gorsuch has been questioned by politicians who have to decide whether to approve his appointment for life to America's highest court.

"I'm heartened by the support I have received from people who recognise that there's no such thing as a Republican judge or a Democratic judge, we just have judges in this country," he said during a lengthy hearing.

Mr Gorsuch has been chosen by Mr Trump to fill the place left vacant by the death in February last year of Antonin Scalia, a man described by Republicans as a hero and by Democrats as an ideological right-winger.

Democratic senators are furious that Republicans blocked President Obama's pick for the vacant position last year.


Trump picks Gorsuch for US Supreme Court

Mr Gorsuch said he would "apply the law faithfully and fearlessly" when asked about freedom of religion in light of the travel ban that prevents immigration from six Muslim-majority countries.

He was challenged several times over his attitude to minorities and "the little guy" but declined a request to highlight any cases that he had championed for the LGBT community.

Mr Gorsuch told senior Democratic committee member Senator Dianne Feinstein: "I'd like to convey to you, from the bottom of my heart, that I am a fair judge."

Quizzed about a $10m advertising and lobbying campaign to get him approved he said he didn't know who had provided the money and declined to call for the source of the funding to be made public.