LONDON, May 13 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Police have arrested a man over suspected arson attacks on two properties linked to Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, and a car.
The 21-year-old was arrested on suspicion of arson with intent to endanger life and remains in custody, Metropolitan Police said.
Emergency services responded to a fire at the prime minister’s private home in Kentish Town, north London, early on Monday.
On Sunday, first responders were called to a small fire at the front door of a house converted into flats in nearby Islington, a property also linked to Sir Keir.
One person was helped to safety by firefighters, London Fire Brigade said.
Police are also looking at a small car fire, on the same street as the Kentish Town property, on Thursday as part of the investigation.
Counter-terrorism police are leading the inquiry and are treating the fires as suspicious.
“As a precaution and due to the property having previous connections with a high-profile public figure, officers from the Met’s Counter Terrorism Command are leading the investigation into this fire,” the Metropolitan Police said.
The car fire occurred just before 03:00 BST on Thursday.
The first fire at a property was reported in Islington on Sunday just after 03:00.
The second property fire took place in Kentish Town on Monday at 01:11. The small fire was under control about 20 minutes later.
There was damage to the property’s entrance but nobody was hurt, the police said.
Sir Keir is understood to still own the home, but lives at Downing Street.
He lived in the home before the 2024 general election and it has been rented out since then.
On Monday, Sir Keir thanked the emergency services for their work, his official spokesman said.
He added the matter was “subject to a live investigation so I can’t comment further”, and declined to provide any further details on who was in the property when the fire started. — NNN-AGENCIES
