A fire erupted early Monday morning at a property owned by Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer in north-west London, prompting a swift response from emergency services and a large police

cordon. Neighbours reported hearing a "loud bang" around 1:11am before London Fire Brigade crews arrived on the scene.

The blaze, which caused visible damage to the front of the house, was brought under control within 22 minutes. No injuries were reported. The house is understood to be rented out by Starmer, who now resides with his family at 10 Downing Street.

Forensic officers have been present at the scene throughout the day, and the Metropolitan Police are conducting an investigation. A police spokesperson confirmed that damage had been caused to the entrance of the property, but the cause of the fire remains undetermined. Authorities have asked anyone with information to contact them quoting CAD 441/12 May.

Residents described being startled by a loud bang that sounded like glass shattering, adding to fears that the fire may not have been accidental. The scene remains under investigation, with multiple forensic officers in protective clothing continuing their work.

The incident coincided with a major policy announcement from Sir Keir Starmer, who earlier in the day unveiled new immigration reforms at a press conference in Downing Street. The Prime Minister warned that the UK risked becoming an “island of strangers” and outlined proposals aimed at cutting net migration by 100,000 annually. These include a 10-year path to citizenship, stricter language and education requirements for visas, and closing loopholes used by employers to import cheap labour.

Starmer argued the previous system under Conservative governments had enabled abuse and division, while critics—including Reform UK’s Richard Tice—claimed Labour's plan lacks enforceable targets. Despite the policy rollout, the PM stopped short of guaranteeing annual decreases in migration numbers, though he pledged a significant drop by the end of the current Parliament.

ONS figures released last year estimated net migration at 728,000 for the 12 months to June 2024, a decrease from the record 906,000 in the previous year.

Later in the day, Starmer met with Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson to discuss bilateral relations and continued support for Ukraine. Photo by Paul Townley, Wikimedia commons.