Journalist Sarah Helm Under Police Review After Pro-Israel Groups Demand Action
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Sarah Helm, a veteran journalist, has faced backlash from pro-Israel organisations and praise from Green Party leaders after posting on X in support of author Sally Rooney and Palestine Action, prompting a Metropolitan Police assessment over speech that critics say crosses a line.
Prominent journalist and author Sarah Helm has attracted calls from pro-Israel groups for a police investigation after she posted on X in support of Irish writer Sally Rooney, whose books are being withdrawn from the UK market over her backing of Palestine Action. Helm, who is married to Jonathan Powell – former Prime Minister Keir Starmer's former national security adviser who remained in the role when Andy Burnham became prime minister – responded to criticism by posting, "God help us authors who support Palestine and Palestine Action. Sounds like Adam would have all our books swept off the shelves in a jiffy."
Campaign Against Antisemitism, a group that has faced accusations of targeting Israel critics, urged the Metropolitan Police to make Helm "face the full force of the law". The police said the post is being assessed to determine whether further investigation is needed. A Downing Street spokesperson clarified that Helm's views are personal and do not represent the government, underscoring the need to distinguish personal activism from official policy.
Green Party leader Zack Polanski told Middle East Eye that Helm should be commended for her "bravery" and called for the immediate de-proscription of Palestine Action, which the Labour government proscribed in July 2025. The proscription makes supporting the direct-action group a criminal offence punishable by up to 14 years in prison and has led to numerous arrests, reflecting the seriousness with which the law treats backing for extremist-style disruption.
Helm, a former foreign correspondent for The Independent and author of the 2025 book Gaza: The Long Road to Destruction, 1870-2024, also referenced an interview she conducted in 2020 with Yaakov Sharett, son of Israel's first foreign minister Moshe Sharett. Sharett described Zionism as a "utopian idea" and likened current treatment of Palestinians to Nazi policies, calling Israel a "criminal state".
The Metropolitan Police continue to review Helm's social-media activity, while the broader debate over the ban on Palestine Action remains contentious, with human-rights groups describing the measure as overly harsh and critics warning that public figures should exercise greater responsibility when amplifying inflammatory causes.