The Met Police has arrested a man in connection with threatening phone calls directed at Mike Freer, MP for Finchley and Golders Green.

On 1 February, the police obtained a report from Freer’s office that the conservative MP had received “an abusive and threatening phone call” on the previous day. Authorities launched an investigation which led to the arrest of a 46-year-old man on 6 February “on suspicion of malicious communication,” according to a press release from the Met. The suspect remains in custody at a north London police station.

In a statement last week, Freer, 63, announced that he would be stepping down from the next general election after 34 years of public service for the area of Finchley and Golders Green, citing “several serious threats to my personal safety” since his election to the role of MP in 2010.

Freer referred to an arson attack at his office in Finchley on 24 December 2023, for which a separate investigation saw the arrest of a man and woman who were charged with arson with intent to endanger life. The police investigation established the offence was not a hate crime and the two incidents are not believed to be linked.

Detective Superintendent Will Lexton-Jones, from the local policing team in north-west London, said: "It is vitally important for elected officials and their staff they can be confident in their safety and security, and we are committed to ensuring this.

"Today’s arrest sends a clear message: we will not tolerate threats or aggression of any kind towards elected officials. We will deal quickly and robustly with such offences.

"We are in regular contact with MPs and other elected officials and fully recognise the growing concerns they are telling us about their safety, and as you would expect, we have kept Mr Freer MP updated throughout this investigation including today’s arrest.”