Harman demands law to curb CIA flights

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The Labour deputy leadership candidate said there was currently no obligation for the Government to be notified if planes carrying terrorism suspects passed through Britain en route to secret foreign jails.

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This flight was spotted landing at a UK airport - proof that 'rendition ' flights are still taking place

She warned that Britain should show it was "not prepared to be party to kidnap or torture" by renegotiating the UN's Chicago convention - which ensures that signatories are told if VIPs or hazardous substances are flown in or out of their country - to include flights with prisoners on board.

Miss Harman told Sky News: "The difficulty is, there is no obligation in international law to report if you are taking prisoners through people's airspace or even landing and taking off again.

"Then we would be absolutely certain we don't have a situation where we are complicit in torture because our airspace is being used or planes are landing in our country and then taking off again."

An EU report last week found that the Government had been a willing partner in helping with the transport of terrorists to secret torture centres in Eastern Europe, the Middle East and East Africa.

The report said UK civilian and military airports were used dozens of times for CIA planes to touch down for refuelling.

The Government has denied knowledge of the practice and the Association of Chief Police Officers confirmed last night that its 18-month inquiry had found no proof of secret flights.

Miss Harman's Left-wing rival for the deputy leadership, Jon Cruddas, said Britain should be "demanding the truth" about terror flights.

He said: "There is a danger on rendition and on Guantanamo Bay that we look like passive partners."