Counter-terrorism police leading investigation into death of Ann Widdecombe – UK politics live

The British government is moving to proscribe Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, invoking new powers under the National Security State Threats Act, The Guardian reports. Ministers had faced years of pressure to designate the IRGC, which backs terrorist activity outside Iran, but successive governments argued that laws written for terrorist organizations were hard to apply to a state-run body. Designation creates new criminal offences: supporting, assisting, or benefiting from the group can now carry penalties reaching life imprisonment. The Guardian notes the move follows a wave of attacks and attempted attacks on Jewish communities, journalists, and Israeli interests across the UK and Europe, and comes as home secretary Shabana Mahmood says police are pursuing multiple lines of enquiry into the motivation for a recent attack.

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