Keir Starmer house fire: What we know about arson attacks as terror police investigate – UK Times

A 21-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of arson with intent to endanger life, after two fires at houses linked to Sir Keir Starmer.

Emergency services were called to fires at the doors of two homes linked to the prime minister in north London within 24 hours of one another.

Police are investigating whether the fires were linked, and counter-terrorism officers are leading the inquiry because the properties have connections to a high-profile public figure.

The suspect was arrested in the early hours of Tuesday and remains in custody, the Metropolitan Police said.

The incidents have been widely condemned by politicians across the divide, with shadow justice secretary Robert Jenrick saying it is “important that the prime minister and anyone in public life has their family, their homes, protected”.

Here’s everything we know about the fires so far:

What happened?

Emergency services were called to blazes at the doors of two homes in north London within 24 hours of each other.

In the early hours of Sunday, firefighters dealt with a small fire at the front door of a house converted into flats in nearby Islington, which is also linked to Sir Keir.

One person was assisted to safety via an internal staircase by crews wearing breathing apparatus, LFB said.

Police were then alerted by the London Fire Brigade (LFB) to reports of a fire at another residential address in Kentish Town at 1.35am on Monday.

A police cordon and officers, as well as investigators from LFB, could be seen outside a Kentish Town property, where the prime minister used to live.

Sir Keir is understood to own the home still, but now lives at the PM’s official residence in Downing Street.

Damage was caused to the property’s entrance, but nobody was hurt.

Scotland Yard is also looking into a vehicle fire on 8 May as part of the probe. The car fire broke out in the early hours on the same street as the Kentish Town property.

A 21-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of arson with intent to endanger life.

The Metropolitan Police said the suspect was arrested in the early hours of Tuesday, and he remains in custody.

A police spokesperson said: “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.

“Enquiries are ongoing to establish what caused it. All three fires are being treated as suspicious at this time, and enquiries remain ongoing.”

What has the reaction been?

Speaking to Sky News, shadow justice secretary Robert Jenrick said it is “important that the prime minister and anyone in public life has their family, their homes, protected”.

“We have robust disagreements in politics but I want to ensure anyone who chooses to go in to public life feels that they’ll be properly protected and that we have civility in our debate”, he added.

“It is absolutely wrong, disgraceful, for any individual to take the kind of action that we saw against the prime minister’s home.”

Home secretary Yvette Cooper said she had been briefed about the incidents.

She told BBC Breakfast: “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 prime minister’s official spokesperson added: “I can only say that the prime minister thanks the emergency services for their work and it is subject to a live investigation. So I can’t comment any further.”