A 21-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of arson with intent to endanger life after two properties linked to UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer were damaged in London.
The Metropolitan Police said the suspect was arrested in the early hours of Tuesday, where he remains in custody.
Emergency services were called to blazes at the doors of two homes in north London within 24 hours of each other, one just after 1.30am on Monday and the other on Sunday.
The incidents took place just hours before the prime minister delivered a press conference where he laid out some of the toughest rules in recent history to crack down on immigration.
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.
Scotland Yard is also looking into a vehicle fire on May 8 as part of the probe.
On Monday, a police cordon and officers, as well as investigators from the London Fire Brigade (LFB), could be seen outside a Kentish Town property, where the prime minister used to live.
Sir Keir is understood to still own the home, but lives at the PM’s official residence in Downing Street.
A Met 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.”
The prime minister’s official spokesman 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.”
Police were alerted by the LFB to reports of a fire at the residential address at 1.35am on Monday.
Neighbours described hearing a loud bang and said police officers were looking for a projectile.
Charles Grant, 66, told reporters: “Police searched my garden and said they were looking for something somebody had thrown but they didn’t find anything. They said they were looking for a projectile.
“From what other people have told me today, I gather someone threw a firebomb at Keir Starmer’s house.”
Damage was caused to the property’s entrance, but nobody was hurt.
