A man has been charged with planning to use an improvised explosive device to blow up the gates of Downing Street before entering No 10 and making an attempt on Theresa May’s life.

Naa'imur Zakariyah Rahman, 20, allegedly planned to launch a bomb attack on the security gates outside Downing Street before detonating a suicide vest in Number 10 in a bid to kill Theresa May.

Rahman has been charged with preparing acts of terrorism and will appear in court alongside Mohammed Aqib Imran, 21, who is accused of trying to join Islamic State.

Rahman, of north London, and Imran, of south east Birmingham, were arrested by officers from the Met’s Counter Terrorism Command on Tuesday, November 28.

Both men appeared at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday and were remanded in custody.