UK regulators could revoke the license of Russian state-backed television network RT after Moscow was linked with the attempted murder of former double agent Sergei Skripal.

Prime Minister Theresa May said Monday that a "weapons grade nerve agent" developed by Russia was used to poison Skripal. It was either an act by the Russian state, or Moscow had lost control of its nerve agent, she added.

Hours later, UK media regulator Ofcom said it would "consider the implications for RT's broadcast licenses" once the government had more information.

"Ofcom has an ongoing duty to be satisfied that all broadcast licensees are fit and proper to hold a license," it said in a statement.

Some lawmakers told May on Monday they were concerned that the network, which also uses the name Russia Today, was functioning as a propaganda outlet.

May did not address the issue directly in her statement to parliament, but acknowledged that "Russia Today is of concern to members across the House [of Commons]."

RT said it was being sacrificed as a political pawn, "in one fell swoop doing away with any concept of press freedom in the UK."

"We are proud to have a better record with Ofcom than most other UK broadcasters, and any curtailment of RT will ultimately be to the detriment of the British public," RT said in its statement.

Related: How the UK could hit back at Russia over spy poisoning

RT is owned by Russian state-owned news agency RIA Novosti. It has a very small viewership in the UK, but members of parliament have frequently appeared on the channel.

Ofcom has revoked 10 broadcasting licenses since 2003. The most recent was in 2017, when a radio station was pulled off the air for broadcasting hate speech.

The regulator pulled the license of the English-language news network of Iranian state broadcaster Press TV in 2012.