Police investigating suspected arson attacks on properties and a car linked to Sir Keir Starmer have been given longer to question a man.
The 21-year-old suspect was arrested on suspicion of arson with intent to endanger life at an address in Sydenham, southeast London, in the early hours of Tuesday and remains in custody at one of the city’s police stations.
The Metropolitan Police can hold him for a further 36 hours after successfully applying to magistrates for a warrant of further detention, meaning detectives can question him until Friday morning.
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Scotland Yard said counter-terrorism officers, who are leading the investigation because it involves the prime minister, are working “at pace” to work out the cause of the fires and “any potential motivation”.
Emergency services were called to fires at the doors of two homes in north London within 24 hours of each other. One blaze was around 1.35am on Monday at a house in Kentish Town, while another was at a house converted into flats in nearby Islington the previous day.
There was also a third fire where a car connected to the politician was set alight on the same street as the Kentish Town property last Thursday. Nobody was hurt in any of the suspected arson attacks, though the Kentish house’s entrance was damaged.
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In his first comments on the incidents, Sir Keir told MPs the blazes are “an attack on all of us, on democracy and the values that we stand for”.
Speaking in the House of Commons on Wednesday, he thanked Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch for contacting him “pretty well straight away” to lend her support.
Ms Badenoch called the incidents “completely unacceptable” as the two party leaders began their weekly clash at Prime Minister’s Questions.
“I think I speak for the whole House when I say that this wasn’t just an attack on him, but on all of us and on our democracy,” she added.
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Sir Keir owns the Kentish Town property, and he and his family lived there before moving into 10 Downing Street after leading Labour to victory in last July’s election. It is believed the house is being rented out.
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Commander Dominic Murphy, head of the Met’s counter-terrorism command, said in a statement on Tuesday that any MP who is concerned about their own safety should contact their dedicated local Operation Bridger officer, “who can provide further advice and support”.
