Man arrested after suspected arson attacks on property linked to PM Keir Starmer.
A 21-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of arson with intent to endanger life, following a series of suspected arson attacks on properties linked to Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer. The arrest, carried out in the early hours of Tuesday, was confirmed by the Metropolitan Police. The man remains in custody.
The arrest comes after a fire broke out at Sir Keir's private residence in Kentish Town, north London, in the early hours of Monday. A day earlier, emergency services responded to a small fire at the front door of a converted flat in nearby Islington—another property associated with the prime minister. One person was assisted to safety by firefighters via an internal staircase, according to the London Fire Brigade (LFB).
Police are also examining a car fire as part of the investigation. Counter-terrorism police are leading the probe, treating the incidents as suspicious and investigating possible links between them.
“As a precaution, and due to the property's connection with a high-profile public figure, officers from the Met’s Counter Terrorism Command are leading the investigation,” the Metropolitan Police said in a statement.
The first of the three incidents occurred just before 03:00 BST on Thursday, when a car caught fire on the same street as Sir Keir’s Kentish Town home. The second took place shortly after 03:00 on Sunday at the Islington property. The third happened early Monday morning at the Kentish Town address. The LFB reported being called at 01:11 and bringing the fire under control within 20 minutes. The entrance to the property was damaged, but no one was injured.
Sir Keir Starmer’s official residence is at Downing Street. On Monday, his spokesman thanked emergency services for their response and confirmed that, due to the ongoing investigation, the prime minister could not comment further. He also declined to say who was inside the property at the time of the fire.
Home Secretary Yvette Cooper told the BBC on Tuesday that she had been briefed on the incidents but could not provide additional information. “Police are investigating these incidents and they have my full support in doing so,” she said. “These events raise understandable concerns, but we have full confidence in the police and the work they are doing.”
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