No police action against PM adviser's wife over Palestine Action post
London's Metropolitan Police has concluded that a post on X by journalist Sarah Helm did not meet the criminal threshold, and no further action will be taken. Helm is the wife of Jonathan Powell, the UK prime minister's national security adviser.
The Metropolitan Police, London's police force, has decided not to pursue any further investigation into journalist and author Sarah Helm. She is married to Jonathan Powell, the UK prime minister's national security adviser. Helm had been accused of supporting the banned protest group Palestine Action, but police concluded her post on X was not a criminal matter.
The post
On Thursday 15 October, Helm posted on X: "God help us authors who support Palestine and Palestine Action." She was replying to a discussion about the Irish author Sally Rooney, who has said she can no longer sell her books in the UK because of her support for Palestine Action.
The police decision
On Friday, the force said the post was being assessed to determine whether further investigation might be needed. On Saturday, a spokesperson said specialist officers had reviewed it and found that it did not meet the criminal threshold, so no further police action would be taken. It is understood there was insufficient evidence that the post was capable of encouraging support for a proscribed organisation.
The ban on Palestine Action took effect in July 2025. Since then, membership or support of the direct action group has been a criminal offence punishable by up to 14 years in prison.
Reactions
The Campaign Against Antisemitism (CAA) had called for a police investigation. It acknowledged that spouses are entitled to independent views, but said the post raised extremely serious questions for Powell and the government. The group also argued that Helm should face the full force of the law, as others who appear to express support for a proscribed terrorist organisation do.
A government spokesperson said earlier that the views were held by an individual who does not represent the government in any capacity. Downing Street has distanced itself from Helm's remarks.
