A man has been arrested in connection with a series of suspected arson attacks on property linked to Keir Starmer, Scotland Yard has said.
The 21-year-old was arrested in the early hours on suspicion of arson with intent to endanger life and remained in custody, the Metropolitan police said. The force said the arrest related to three incidents being investigated by counter-terrorism police.
On Monday at 1.35am, police were alerted by the London fire brigade to reports of a fire at a residential address in north-west London. Damage had been caused to the property’s entrance but nobody was hurt.
It is understood the property in Kentish Town is owned by the prime minister. Starmer, who resides with his family in his official residence in Downing Street, is reportedly letting out the four-bedroom home.
The Met said that as a precaution and due to the property’s connections to the prime minister, officers from its counter-terrorism command were leading the investigation into this fire. Inquiries were ongoing to establish what caused the blaze, the force said.
The investigation team is also considering two other incidents: a vehicle fire in north-west London last Thursday, reportedly on the same street as the Kentish Town property, and a fire at the entrance of a property in north London on Sunday.
Police are investigating whether they may be linked to Monday’s fire.
On Monday, Starmer thanked the emergency services for their work. His official spokesperson said the matter was “subject to a live investigation so I can’t comment further”, and he declined to provide any details on who may have been in the property when the fire started.
The home secretary, Yvette Cooper, said she had been briefed about the suspected arson attacks. Asked about the incidents by BBC Breakfast, Cooper said: “You are right that the police are investigating these incidents, and they have my full support in doing so.
“I have been briefed about these incidents but you will understand, as home secretary I obviously cannot comment in any detail on the investigations that are ongoing.”
The shadow justice secretary, Robert Jenrick, said the prime minister and other figures in public life must be “properly protected”. He told Sky News: “We have robust disagreements in politics, but I want to ensure anyone who chooses to go into public life feels that they’ll be properly protected and that we have civility in our debate.
“It is absolutely wrong, disgraceful, for any individual to take the kind of action that we saw against the prime minister’s home.”
Source: theguardian.com
