The Foreign Secretary has said a government he lead would not block Julian Assange's extradition to the USA, where the Wikileaks founder faces the prospect of dying in jail if found guilty of espionage.

Jeremy Hunt, one of the front-runners to replace Theresa May as Prime Minister, said Mr Assange was 'alleged to have committed some very serious crimes, alleged to have led to people's deaths', adding 'he has no more reason to escape justice than anyone else who is alleged to have committed crimes.'

Mr Hunt told Face The Nation on US network CBS that what has happened to the Australian in recent weeks is the 'right thing'.

Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt told Face The Nation on US television network CBS that he would not stand in the way of Assange facing trial in America for 'very serious crimes'

It comes after a UN special report concluded the abuse Assange has faced in the press and online amounted to 'psychological torture' and 'inhuman and degrading treatment.'

Mr Assange, 47, was moved to the hospital wing of Belmarsh prison last week and was found too unwell to appear by video-link as scheduled at Westminster magistrates' court. His lawyers reported it was not possible to have a normal conversation with him.

Mr Assange lived inside the Ecuadorian embassy in London for almost seven years before being dragged out last month and sentenced to 50 weeks in jail for a bail violation.

He now faces an extradition request from the US to face claims of violating the US Espionage Act by publishing classified military and diplomatic documents in 2010.

Julian Assange was sentenced to 50 weeks in jail in the UK for skipping bail, after the Ecuadorian Embassy threw him out in April

Professor Nils Melzer, the UN Special Rapporteur on torture, warned the Australian could not expect a fair trial in the US

Julian Assange is jailed at HMP Belmarsh, pictured. He has been moved to the hospital wing

Pressed on the U.S. government's extradition request for Assange, Mr Hunt said: ''Well, we would have to follow our own legal processes, just as the U.S. has to follow its own legal processes.

'But would I want to stand in the way of Julian Assange facing justice? No, I would not.'

Last month, a federal grand jury in Virginia indicted Assange on 17 felony counts for allegedly violating the Espionage Act by working with solider Chelsea Manning to release thousands of classified U.S. diplomatic and military cables.

They were published without redaction and Assange has been criticised for irresponsible journalism which may have endangered the lives of US military and intelligence personnel and assets.