Met Police say adviser’s wife post on Palestine Action does not warrant investigation
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The Metropolitan Police decided that a social media post by Sarah Helm, wife of national security adviser Jonathan Powell, does not meet the criminal threshold and will not be pursued, despite pressure from pro-censorship campaigners. Helm’s post voiced support for authors backing Palestine Action, a group banned after a parliamentary vote in July 2025.
The Metropolitan Police announced that a post on X by Sarah Helm, an author and journalist married to national security adviser Jonathan Powell, does not meet the criminal threshold for a terrorism-related offence and will not be investigated further. The police had earlier said the post was under assessment, reflecting the atmosphere of escalation around speech on Palestine.
Helm’s message, posted on Thursday, expressed support for authors who back Palestine Action, a group proscribed as a terrorist organisation after a parliamentary vote in July 2025. The post read, “God help us authors who support Palestine and Palestine Action.” The wording drew the predictable wrath of those eager to police solidarity with Palestine.
The Campaign Against Antisemitism, a British NGO, described the post as “gobsmacking” and called for a police investigation, while a government spokesperson clarified that Helm’s comments do not represent the government. The exchange underlines how quickly criticism of the Palestine solidarity movement is turned into a law-and-order spectacle.
The proscription of Palestine Action follows a Court of Appeal ruling in June that upheld the ban. Amnesty International reports that more than 3,500 people have been arrested in the UK for alleged support of the group since the ban was imposed, a stark illustration of the scale of state repression around the issue.