Theresa May has pledged to put UK interests “first” just hours before she jets off to Washington to meet Donald Trump.

The Prime Minister's comments echoed the new US President's controversial “America first” slogan, which formed the central plank of his inauguration address last week and led to accusations of isolationism and economic protectionism.

Mrs May will become the first foreign leader to meet the outspoken tycoon since he took office on Friday.

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During Prime Minister's Questions in the Commons she told MPs that she was not afraid to "speak frankly" to the US President.

But she came under pressure to use her position to criticise his outspoken attacks on women and immigrants.

Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn also urged her not to sell Britain off "on the cheap" or "sacrifice" parts of the NHS to US companies during the talks.

Asked by the SNP’s Westminster leader Angus Roberston to set out her aims for the trip, Mrs May said: “It is very simple, we want to achieve an arrangement that ensures that the interests of the United Kingdom are put first, and that is what I will be doing.”

She later added: “We will be looking for a UK-US trade deal that improves trade between our two countries, that will bring prosperity and growth to this country and that will ensure that we can bring jobs to this country as well... we will put UK interests and UK values first.”

Mrs May also faced calls from her own benches to reject some of Mr Trump's policies, including his stance on torture.

During his election campaign the President stated his belief that the torture of terrorists "works".

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Tory backbencher Andrew Tyrie urged the Prime Minister to state that under no circumstances will she permit Britain to be dragged into facilitating that torture, as we were after 11 September”.

She told him that the Conservative government's position on torture was clear, adding "we do not sanction torture and do not get involved in it. That will continue to be our position.”

She also told former Labour leader Ed Miliband that she hoped "all parties" would continue to back the Paris climate change agreement, signed by the Obama administration but which has come under fire from Mr Trump.

The Prime Minister travels to the US today where this evening she will become the first foreign serving head of government to address the annual congressional Republican retreat.

Whitehall sources suggested that a lot of "real" work could be done at that meeting.

She is then due to meet President Trump in Washington on Friday.

No 10 said: "There are going to be issues where we differ in approach and view with President Trump. The benefits of a close, effective relationship will be that we will be able to raise these frankly and directly with the President."

Downing Street see the meeting as an opportunity to advance trade between the two countries and work together on issues like defence and security.

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Mrs May is expected to talk tough over the Syrian conflict and the role played by Russia, amid allegations that Mr Trump is too sympathetic to the Russians.

Meanwhile, Professor Ted Malloch, tipped to be the US's new EU ambassador has predicted that the UK and the US could agree a "mutually beneficial" free trade deal in as little as 90 days after Brexit.

The White House has said that Mr Trump is "excited" to meet Mrs May.