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Police are continuing to question a 21-year-old man arrested in connection with arson attacks on properties and a car linked to Keir Starmer, with counter-terrorism detectives believing the fires were probably targeted.
Police said on Tuesday they were still trying to establish a motive for the attacks, which triggered condemnation from across the political spectrum at Westminster.
A 21-year-old was arrested in the early hours on suspicion of arson with intent to endanger life at an address in Sydenham, south London, where he was staying. He remains in police custody.
It is understood there is no indication the attacks were linked to hostile state action, which also falls under the remit of Scotland Yard’s counter-terrorism command.
The prime minister’s family home, which he now rents out, a flat he once owned and a car he previously owned were all attacked. Detectives are trying to establish with certainty if all three arsons are linked.
None of the attacks led to injuries and police said at the Starmer family home in Kentish Town that “damage was caused to the property’s entrance”.
The property is understood to be owned by the prime minister. Starmer, who resides with his family at his official residence in Downing Street, is understood to be renting out the four-bedroom house to his sister-in-law and her family.
The arrangement is declared through the ministerial register of interests, but as his relative only pays a peppercorn rent in order to protect her legal rights as a tenant, the rental income does not meet the £10,000-a-year threshold required to be declared on the MPs’ register, the Guardian understands.
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.
The investigation team is also considering two other incidents: a vehicle fire in north-west London last Thursday, reportedly on the same street as Starmer’s Kentish Town property, and a fire at the entrance of a property in north London on Sunday.
The house, which he and his wife, Victoria, bought in 2004, has previously been targeted by protesters. Last year, three people were found guilty of public order offences after a pro-Palestinian demonstration outside the property. Damage had been caused to the entrance but nobody was hurt.
Commander Dominic Murphy, the head of the Metropolitan police’s counter-terrorism command, said: “We are working at pace and continue to explore various lines of enquiry to establish the cause of the fires, and any potential motivation for these.
“A key line of enquiry is whether the fires are linked due to the two premises and the vehicle all having previous links to the same high-profile public figure.
“We recognise that this investigation may cause concern to other public figures – particularly MPs … I would encourage any MP who is concerned about their own safety to get in touch with their dedicated local Operation Bridger [security programme] officer, who can provide further advice and support.”
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.
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.”
Kemi Badenoch condemned the “shocking” suspected arson attacks. Writing on X, the Conservative leader said: “My thoughts are with the prime minister and his family. No one should face these sorts of threats, let alone people in public service.
“It’s an attack on our democracy and must never be tolerated.”
