Police in Ireland have arrested a British man on suspicion of making threats to kill an MP.

The man, 41, from England, was detained in the Cork suburb of Douglas on Saturday.

The arrest was made as gardai executed a search warrant at a residential property.

A Garda spokesman said: “During the course of the search a number of electronic items were seized and one man, 41, was arrested on suspicion of making threats against a person from outside of this jurisdiction.”

It is understood the person targeted by the alleged threat is a Westminster MP.

The Irish Times has reported that the person is a female Labour politician.

The man has been detained under Section 4 of Ireland’s Criminal Justice Act. He is being held at Bridewell Garda Station in Cork.

The arrest follows the fatal stabbing of Conservative MP Sir David Amess, as he held a constituency surgery in Leigh-on-Sea in Essex on October 15.

Ali Harbi Ali, 25, has been remanded in custody charged with murdering Sir David.