“The government is introducing powers similar to proscription powers to take strong action against malign state activity.”

The evidence clearly supports the claim. The UK government was in the process of introducing proscription-like powers to tackle malign state activity, with the National Security (State Threats) Bill formally introduced in Parliament on 9 June 2026 — just six days after Starmer's speech on 3 June 2026. The speech itself foreshadows this, stating "we will set out further steps in coming days." Government sources consistently describe these as "proscription-like powers" or a "State Threats Proscription-like Power" modelled on the terrorism proscription regime under the Terrorism Act 2000. The power allows the Home Secretary to designate bodies engaged in foreign power threat activity, creating criminal offences for supporting, assisting, or obtaining material benefits from such designated bodies. The government's own factsheet states the bill "creates a new power for the Home Secretary to designate bodies engaged in state threat activity, equivalent to proscription under the Terrorism Act 2000." The initiative followed Jonathan Hall KC's May 2025 recommendation to introduce a "State Threats Proscription-like Power," and the government had publicly committed to implementing it well before the speech date. The Home Secretary had already announced the commitment in a national security update to Parliament. By the time of Starmer's speech, the legislation was being prepared and would be introduced within days. The phrase "bringing in" is accurate — the government was actively in the process of developing and introducing these powers, with formal introduction imminent. The description of them as targeting "malign state activity" matches the government's own framing of the powers as targeting hostile state and state-linked bodies. Sources: - GOV.UK, "National Security (State Threats) Bill 2026: overarching factsheet" — https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/national-security-state-threats-bill-2026-factsheets/national-security-state-threats-bill-2026-overarching-factsheet - GOV.UK, "UK defences strengthened against foreign state-backed groups" (published 8 July 2026) — https://www.gov.uk/government/news/uk-defences-strengthened-against-foreign-state-backed-groups - GOV.UK, "New powers to crack down on hostile foreign state organisations" (published 9 June 2026) — https://www.gov.uk/government/news/new-powers-to-crack-down-on-hostile-foreign-state-organisations - GOV.UK, "National security update" (Home Secretary's statement to Parliament) — https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/national-security-update - House of Commons Library, "The National Security (State Threats) Bill" — https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/research-briefings/cbp-10896/ - National Security (State Threats) Act 2026 — https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2026/24/contents/enacted