Two charged with arson over fire at Tory MP’s office on Christmas Eve

Pair also charged over separate fire at restaurant on same night

A man and woman have been charged with arson over a fire at the constituency office of Tory MP Mike Freer on Christmas Eve.

The fire broke out in a shed at Mr Freer’s north London base shortly after 7pm on 24 December. There were no reported injuries in the blaze.

Paul Harwood, 42, and Zara Kasory, 32, both of no fixed address, have now been charged with arson with intent.

The pair were also charged with one count of arson without intent over a separate fire at the rear of a restaurant in Long Lane one hour before Christmas Day. Both are due to appear at Willesden Magistrates’ Court on Thursday.

Mr Freer had suggested the fire may have been related to his Middle East views but the Metropolitan Police said it was not being treated as a hate crime.

He told Sky News: “When something flares in the Middle East, the level of attacks in my local area do go up, so sadly it could be to do with my views on the Middle East.”

Pictures from the North Finchley and Golders Green MP’s office show the shed destroyed in the fire, which also damaged parts of the first, second and third floors.

Mike Freer said he feared for his safety after the fire broke out before Christmas (Susannah Ireland)

Although not Jewish himself, Mr Freer represents a constituency that has a large Jewish community and he is a member of the Conservative Friends of Israel group.

Several MPs have been targetted in recent months over their stance on the conflict.

In November last year, hundreds of students marched to the office of Rushnara Ali, the MP for Bethnal Green and Bow, after she voted against calling for a ceasefire. Others have received death threats and been abused online.

Last year, Mr Freer told the Old Bailey he and his staff decided to wear stab vests and carry panic alarms after learning that Ali Harbi Ali, who went on to kill Southend West MP Sir David Amess, had first scoped out his Finchley office.