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A second individual has been detained in relation to the supposed arson incidents linked to properties associated with Prime Minister Keir Starmer, according to the Metropolitan Police.

This development involves the arrest of a 26-year-old suspect at Luton Airport on Saturday, following the legal action taken against Roman Lavrynovych, a Ukrainian citizen, earlier in the week. Lavrynovych was charged after three fires, including one at the home of Starmer’s family.

The investigation is being conducted by counterterrorism officers. Lavrynovych, aged 21, faces three counts of arson with the intent to endanger life. The second suspect, who has not been named by investigators and has not yet been charged, was apprehended on similar accusations, as stated by the police.

“The 26-year-old was arrested around 13:45hrs on Saturday, 17 May at London Luton airport on suspicion of conspiracy to commit arson with intent to endanger life,” the police said in a statement.

“The arrest was made by counterterrorism officers from the Eastern Region Special Operations Unit. The man has been taken into police custody in London.”

“All [the fires] have previous connections with a high-profile public figure, and therefore officers from the Met’s Counter Terrorism Command have led the investigation into the fires.”

Alongside the fire at Starmer’s family home in Kentish Town north London — which he is understood to have been renting out since entering Downing Street last year — another property once linked to the prime minister in Islington also caught fire, as did a car he once owned on the same street as the family home, all in the space of a week.

At a hearing at Westminster Magistrate’s Court on Friday Lavrynovych was detained ahead of a hearing at the Old Bailey on June 6. He was first arrested on Tuesday.

His legal team did not request bail.

Prosecutor Sarah Przybylska told the court that his alleged offending was currently “unexplained”.

Przybylska said that Lavrynovych had denied arson when interviewed under caution. She alleged he had used “accelerants” to start the fires.

Lavrynovych spoke only to confirm his identity and had proceedings translated for him by a Ukrainian interpreter.