UK police arrest man for arson after fire at PM Starmer's house

British police said on Tuesday they had arrested a 21-year-old man on suspicion of arson after counter-terrorism officers launched an investigation into three fires, including one at Prime Minister Keir Starmer's private home.

Police were called to reports of a fire in the early hours of Monday morning at the property in Kentish Town in north London, the area that Starmer represents in parliament.

Nobody was injured but damage was caused to the property's entrance, police said.

The man was arrested in the early hours of Tuesday on suspicion of arson with intent to endanger life in connection with the fire and two further incidents, police said.

He remains in custody, they added.

Police are investigating whether a fire at the entrance of a property in nearby Islington on Sunday and a vehicle fire in Kentish Town on Thursday are linked to the incident on Monday.

A BBC report said the Islington property was also connected to the prime minister.

Starmer lived in the terraced house on a back street with his wife and two children before he moved into Number 10 Downing Street when he became prime minister last July.

Officers from London's Metropolitan Police Counter Terrorism Command were leading the investigation due to the property's connections with a high-profile public figure, police said.

His spokesperson thanked the emergency services for their work on Monday.

(Reuters)