UK Police Drop Inquiry into Post by Security Adviser's Wife Referencing Palestine Action
Metropolitan Police confirmed Sarah Helm's social media post did not meet the criminal threshold after reviewing remarks about the banned group.
At a glance
- Metropolitan Police determined Sarah Helm's post on X referencing Palestine Action did not meet the threshold for criminal prosecution.
- Helm, married to national security adviser Jonathan Powell, wrote the post during a debate about author Sally Rooney.
- Palestine Action was banned as a terrorist organisation in July 2025, making support for the group punishable by up to 14 years in prison.
The Metropolitan Police will take no further action against Sarah Helm, the wife of the UK government's national security adviser, following an assessment of a social media post she made regarding Palestine Action.
Helm, who is married to national security adviser Jonathan Powell, posted on X on Thursday stating: "God help us authors who support Palestine and Palestine Action." Specialist officers evaluated the message to determine whether an investigation was required under terrorism legislation.
In a statement issued on Saturday, the Metropolitan Police confirmed that the matter had been reviewed and closed. The force stated that the post had been assessed by specialist officers who determined it did not meet the criminal threshold, concluding that no further police action would be taken.
Context Surrounding Sally Rooney Controversy
Helm's comment was posted during an online discussion regarding Irish author Sally Rooney. Rooney had announced her intention to direct royalties from her book sales toward Palestine Action, an entity that aims to end international involvement in what it describes as Israel's genocidal and apartheid regime.
Following Rooney's declaration, her publishing house, Faber, announced that it could no longer supply her books—including prominent titles such as *Normal People* and *Conversations with Friends*—to retailers in the United Kingdom.
Palestine Action was formally proscribed as a terrorist organisation by the UK government in July 2025. Under British law, expressing support for a proscribed organisation is an illegal act carrying a potential prison sentence of up to 14 years.
The Metropolitan Police had previously acknowledged on Friday that it was reviewing the post made on 15 October after being alerted to the online remarks referencing the banned organisation, before subsequently concluding that the post did not warrant criminal proceedings.
Source: BBC Technology.
Questions and answers
- Why was Sarah Helm's post examined by police?
- Police assessed Sarah Helm's social media post because it referenced Palestine Action, a group proscribed as a terrorist organisation in the UK.
- What did the Metropolitan Police conclude about the post?
- Specialist officers determined that the message did not reach the criminal threshold, and the police confirmed no further action will be taken.
- What penalties exist for supporting Palestine Action in the UK?
- Because Palestine Action was proscribed as a terrorist organisation in July 2025, supporting the group is a criminal offence carrying up to 14 years in prison.
