UK PM adviser’s wife expresses ‘support’ for Palestine Action | Israel-Palestine conflict News
British police are currently reviewing a social media post by Sarah Helm, the wife of National Security Adviser Jonathan Powell, in which she appears to support Palestine Action, a group classified as a terrorist organization in the United Kingdom.
In her post on X, formerly known as Twitter, Helm expressed her solidarity with Palestine Action, stating, “God help us authors who support Palestine and Palestine Action.” Her comment came in response to a post defending Irish novelist Sally Rooney, who recently announced that her books would no longer be sold in the UK as part of her decision to donate royalties to Palestine Action.
A spokesperson for the Metropolitan Police confirmed on Friday that Helm’s post is under assessment to determine whether there is a need for further investigation.
A government spokesperson, quoted by Reuters, stated that Helm’s views do not reflect government positions or policies.
The activist group Defend Our Juries has come to Helm’s defense, criticizing what it termed an “absurdly authoritarian ban on Palestine Action.” The group reported that at least 36 individuals have been arrested for expressing support for Palestine Action on social media, and expressed hope that Helm would not face similar consequences for her stance.
The UK government banned Palestine Action in July 2025 following protests where members of the group broke into a Royal Air Force base and vandalized aircraft to protest military support for Israel’s actions in Gaza. Membership or support of the organization can lead to prison sentences of up to 14 years.
Since the ban took effect, police have arrested more than 3,500 individuals in the UK for alleged support of Palestine Action, many of whom were detained for holding signs during protests, according to Amnesty International.
Palestine Action has challenged the 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 ban, emphasizing that mass arrests arising from the law were not the intended outcome.
