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Theresa May has reaffirmed Britain's opposition to torture ahead of her visit to Washington DC, as it emerged Donald Trump was preparing to re-open the CIA's 'black sites'.

The sites were used to torture terror suspects during the Bush administration, but were shut down by Barack Obama.

Reports of an executive order to re-open the facilities emerged moments after Theresa May, who is to fly to Washington DC tomorrow, reaffirmed the UK’s opposition to torture.

It presents a potential flashpoint for the two leaders, who will meet on Friday to discuss the Special Relationship in the Oval Office.

The Prime Minister's spokesperson admitted there would be issues where Mrs May and Mr Trump differed in approach.

But they said the advantage of our close relationship with the US is that Mrs May can raise them "directly and frankly with the President."

A three page draft order, obtained by the New York Times and entitled “Detention and Interrogation of Enemy Combatants” would reportedly undo restrictions placed on the handling of detainees introduced by Barack Obama.

(Image: REUTERS)

And it would order the Pentagon to continue to use the Guantanamo Bay prison, which Mr Obama vowed to close.

Further, the draft order would revoke the International Red Cross’ right of access to prisoners,

Tory MP Andrew Tyrie noted President Trump had repeatedly said he’d bring back torture as an instrument of policy during his campaign.

He said he hoped to bring back waterboarding, a form of water torture which simulates the sensation of drowning - along with “a hell of a lot worse.”

Mr Tyrie asked the Prime Minister to confirm that he would make clear that “in no circumstances would she permit Britain to be dragged into facilitating that torture, as we were after September 11th.”

The Prime Minister assured her colleague: “We have a very clear position on torture. We do not sanction torture, we do not get involved with that and that will continue to be our position."

Speaking to the Daily Mirror, the PM’s official spokeswoman said there was no chance of the UK helping America torture terror suspects as it has in the past.

“We don’t condone torture, inhumane or cruel treatment in any form. That is very clearly the UK’s position,” the Number 10 official said.

“There are going to be issues where we differ in approach and view with President Trump. The benefits of a close effective relationship is we will be able to raise these directly and frankly with the President.”

(Image: Rex Features)

Lib Dem foreign affairs spokesperson Tom Brake said: “It’s easy for Theresa May to voice her opposition to torture in the Commons. Now she must deliver the same message to Trump in person.

“The Tory vision of Brexit Britain must not mean giving up on our values as a way to cosy up with Trump and other bullying regimes.”

During the campaign, Trump also pledged to keep Guantanamo open and “load it up it with bad dudes.”

The prison was widely criticised for indefinitely detaining suspects without trial or charge, arguably in contravention of the first and fifth amendments of the US constitution.

The New York Times says the order would be a "step towards reopening secret prisons outside of the normal wartime rules established by the Geneva Conventions."

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It would not immediately allow a return to torture being used in interrogations. Mr Obama issued an order limiting agents to techniques listed in the Army Field Manual, which was later secured in law by congress.

But the draft order calls for a series of reviews, including one on whether to change the list of techniques in the field manual.

It also orders a review into “whether to reinitiate a program of interrogation of high-value alien terrorists to be operated outside the United States.”

Senator John McCain, who chairs the Senate Armed Services Committee, responded: “The President can sign whatever executive orders he likes. But the law is the law. We are not bringing back torture in the United States of America.”

Senator McCain was held for more than five years as a Prisoner of War in Hanoi during the Vietnam War after being captured in 1967.

He was subjected to torture during his captivity, including a period of four consecutive days where he was beaten, his ribs and arms broken.

During the campaign, Donald Trump attacked John McCain, saying: “He’s not a war hero. He was a war hero because he was captured? I like people who weren’t captured.”

Senator McCain added: “On June 16, 2015, the United States Senate voted 78-21 to adopt an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2016 that reaffirmed the prohibition on torture by limiting interrogation techniques to those in the Army Field Manual. The Army Field Manual does not include waterboarding or other forms of enhanced interrogation. The law requires the field manual to be updated to ensure it ‘complies with the legal obligations of the United States and reflects current, evidence-based, best practices for interrogation that are designed to elicit reliable and voluntary statements and do not involve the use or threat of force.’ Furthermore, the law requires any revisions to the field manual be made available to the public 30 days prior to the date the revisions take effect.

“During both our personal conversations and his confirmation hearing, CIA Director Mike Pompeo repeatedly committed to me that he will comply with the law that applies the Army Field Manual’s interrogation requirements to all U.S. agencies, including the CIA. In response to written questions from the Senate Armed Services Committee, Secretary of Defense James Mattis said he ‘support[s] using the Army Field Manual as the single standard for all U.S. military interrogations.’ I am confident these leaders will be true to their word.”