Wife of UK National Security Adviser Under Police Review for Social Media Post Supporting Palestine Action

British police are currently reviewing a social media post made by Sarah Helm, the wife of National Security Adviser Jonathan Powell, in which she appears to express support for Palestine Action. The group has been proscribed in the UK and labelled a "terrorist" organisation.

Helm, a writer, posted on X on Thursday, "God help us authors who support Palestine and Palestine Action." This statement was in response to Irish novelist Sally Rooney's announcement that her books would no longer be sold in the United Kingdom due to her plans to use her royalties to support Palestine Action.

A Metropolitan Police spokesperson stated on Friday that Helm's post is "being assessed to determine whether any further police investigation may be required." A government spokesperson, as cited by Reuters, clarified that the views expressed by Helm are those of an individual who "does not represent the government in any capacity."

The UK-based activist group Defend Our Juries defended Helm, calling the ban on Palestine Action "absurdly authoritarian." A spokesperson for the group noted that "36 people have been arrested and had their homes raided for similarly expressing support for Palestine Action on social media," expressing hope that Helm would not face similar treatment for her stance on free speech and Palestinian lives.

Palestine Action was outlawed by the UK government in July 2025, following an incident where activists entered a Royal Air Force base and damaged aircraft in protest against UK military support for Israel's actions in Gaza. Membership or support for the group can lead to a prison sentence of up to 14 years.

According to Amnesty International, since the ban, police have arrested over 3,500 individuals in the UK for alleged support of the group, often for holding placards. Palestine Action has challenged its proscription, but the Court of Appeal upheld the ban in June.

Recently, the UK's Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband indicated that the government is "looking at" the Palestine Action ban, stating that he did not believe the mass arrests resulting from its proscription were "anyone's intent."