Tory MP demands torture statement

Mr Mohamed, a British resident, claimed he was tortured

A senior Conservative says ministers must urgently respond to allegations that Britain was complicit in torture.

David Davis said a High Court ruling on Wednesday alleged a British resident held in the Guantanamo Bay detention camp in Cuba had been tortured.

The ruling suggested the US threatened to withdraw intelligence help from the UK if details were released, Mr Davis claimed in the House of Commons.

The BBC's Nick Robinson said the claims were "extraordinarily serious".

The allegations relate to Binyam Mohamed, a British resident held in Guantanamo, who alleges he was tortured in Pakistan, Morocco and Afghanistan.

Mr Davis said a High Court ruling, which pointed to complicity by the UK and US authorities in his torture, was prevented from being published after the US put pressure on the UK.

He said the US had threatened to withdraw intelligence co-operation from the UK if this happened.

The former shadow home secretary raised the case in a point of order in the House of Commons.

He said Foreign Secretary David Miliband should make a statement to MPs about the issue as soon as possible to "explain what the devil is going on".

Mr Davis said the US authorities should not interfere with the UK judicial process.

He also said the UK government should make it "plain" that it did not support torture in any circumstances.