A fourth man has been arrested over suspected arson attacks on two properties and a car linked to Keir Starmer.
The 48-year-old was arrested at Stansted airport in Essex on Monday on suspicion of conspiracy to commit arson with intent to endanger life.
Three men have already been charged in connection with the fires: the Ukrainians Petro Pochynok, 34, and Roman Lavrynovych, 21, and a Ukrainian-born Romanian national, Stanislav Carpiuc, 26, who are all due to appear at the Old Bailey on Friday.
Lavrynovych, of Sydenham in south-east London, is charged with three counts of arson with intent to endanger life. Pochynok, of Holloway Road in Islington, north London, and Carpiuc, of Chadwell Heath, east London, are accused of conspiring to commit arson with intent to endanger life.
Scotland Yard’s counter-terrorism command took over the investigation after a spate of fires in north London. One was a fire at the prime minister’s family home in north-west London, which he lets to his sister-in-law. The blaze was reported to police by firefighters in the early hours of 12 May. Police said damage was caused to the property’s entrance but nobody was hurt.
A car Starmer sold to a neighbour last year was set alight four days earlier on the same street.
On 11 May, firefighters dealt with a small fire at the front door of a house where the Labour leader is understood to have lived in the 1990s before it was converted into flats. One person was helped to safety by firefighters wearing breathing apparatus, the London fire brigade said.
Carpiuc was arrested last month at Luton airport. He was charged in court where he denied being present at the scene of any of the fires. A Russian-language interpreter was involved in translating proceedings for him.
Jay Nutkins, a barrister appearing for Carpiuc, said the suspect had lived in the UK for nine years and had recently finished a two-year business studies degree at Canterbury Christ Church University. He was now working in construction and living in east London.
Lavrynovych was the first person to be arrested and charged. The BBC reported that he worked as a builder and roofer. He was remanded in custody after appearing at Westminster magistrates court on 16 May. He was assisted by an interpreter who spoke only to confirm his name, date of birth and address. He did not enter a plea.
