Man arrested for arson at UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s private home

LONDON (AP) — Police arrested a 21-year-old man Tuesday on suspicion of starting fires at U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s private house, another property and a car connected to the politician.

The Metropolitan Police force said the suspect was detained on suspicion of arson with intent to endanger life after an early morning fire Monday damaged the door of the house where Starmer and his family lived before he was elected to lead the country.

No injuries were reported from any of the fires.

Counterterrorism detectives, who are leading the investigation because it involves the prime minister, are also looking into connections between a car fire Thursday near Starmer’s house and a fire Sunday outside a north London house converted into apartments that he as a connection to.

“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,” said Cmdr. Dominic Murphy, head of counterterrorism at the Metropolitan Police.

Starmer moved with his family to the prime minister’s official Downing Street residence after taking office in July.

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Neighbor Charles Grant said police searched his yard Monday for a projectile.

“From what other people have told me today, I gather someone threw a firebomb at Keir Starmer’s house,” he said.

Starmer’s house has attracted protesters in the past. Last year, three pro-Palestinian activists were arrested and charged with public order offenses after unfurling a banner covered in red handprints outside the building.

The main opposition leader, Kemi Badenoch of the Conservative Party, called it “a shocking incident.”

“No one should face these sorts of threats, let alone people in public service,” she posted on X. “It’s an attack on our democracy and must never be tolerated.”