Starmer lashes out at those ‘trying to tear our country apart’ after home targeted in arson attack

Sir Keir Starmer has lashed out at political leaders at home and abroad for “trying to tear our country apart” after his home was targeted in an arson attack last year.

It comes after two men were found guilty of plotting to destroy property by an Old Bailey jury this week. A Russian-speaking mastermind known as “El Money” paid two men to set fire to houses and a car belonging to Sir Keir in a bid to cause fear and “unrest” in Britain, a court heard.

The arson incidents and the arrest of the suspects triggered a wave of spurious online speculation about possible motive, including a conspiracy theory falsely claiming the arsonists were male prostitutes seeking revenge on the Prime Minister.

Asked about the attack and subsequent online conspiracies, the prime minister told reporters on the sidelines of the G7 Summit: “There are many actors who want to divide our country and cause conflict in our country. Some of the evidence that comes out of the trial speaks for itself, but there are bigger issues here.”

“We see this all the time,” he said. The Prime Minister argued that there are “actors in this country who are more than happy to tear our country apart” as well as “actors from outside our country who are trying to find ways to exploit the division to destabilize our democracy.”

“We need to be really clear about this and fight this at every opportunity, at every opportunity,” he added.

Following the convictions of Ukrainian Roman Lavrynovych, 22, and Romanian Stanislav Carpiuc, 27, Sir Keir said justice had been served and argued that the attacks on his property should be seen in the context of the West’s support for Ukraine in the face of Russian aggression.

Last May, a Toyota Rav4 once owned by Sir Keir was set ablaze in a street in Kentish Town, north London.

Days later, two houses were set on fire, including one in North London still owned by the prime minister’s sister-in-law and her family.

Asked about the convictions, the Prime Minister told reporters at the G7 summit on Tuesday: “Obviously this was a vicious attack and all the details have now emerged in court and justice has been served, so I’m pleased in that respect, especially for my family who have been affected by this.”

“I think this needs to be seen in a broader context. Here we are in the G7.

“We just had the Ukraine session and actually there was real unity in the room, across the G7, that Ukraine is better off now, it has regained its territory, the sanctions are having a real impact on Russia, and the moment has come for all of us as a G7 to step up the pressure.”

Following the Old Bailey trial, Lavrynovych was also found guilty of damaging two properties by fire by being careless about whether life was endangered on May 11 and 12 last year.

The attacks were organized by El Money via the Telegram messaging service.

El Money offered Lavrynovych £3,000 in cryptocurrency if the fires were filmed and made news.

Following the convictions, Commander Helen Flanagan, head of London’s Counter-Terrorism Police, said there was nothing to suggest El Money was a “state threat”.

But he said the motivation behind the attacks was “to create anxiety” and “disruption” in the UK community and “fear” for the prime minister.

The third defendant, 35-year-old Ukrainian Petro Pochynok, was acquitted of arson conspiracy.

Downing Street said Russia was one of the foreign states involved in spreading disinformation online.

A Downing Street spokesman said: “As you would expect, the prime minister would be concerned about any incident linked to his estate, which clearly puts lives at risk and that is our general position on this matter.

“However, we also know that Russia and other foreign governments seek to exploit divisions in British society by sowing discord online through disinformation, and that is why we are working with law enforcement and community groups to stamp out hate crime, promote social cohesion and hold to account those running disinformation campaigns.

“This includes both legal and illegal actions that make it harder and less effective for misinformation to spread online.”