Police review post by wife of UK national security adviser

British police are assessing a social media post by Sarah Helm to determine if an investigation is required. Helm is the wife of Jonathan Powell, the national security adviser to Prime Minister Andy Burnham. Her comments appeared to endorse Palestine Action, a group that is currently proscribed as a terrorist organisation in the United Kingdom.

Helm posted on X in response to journalist Adam Boulton, who had criticised Irish novelist Sally Rooney. Rooney’s books are being withdrawn from the UK market because she pledged to use sales proceeds to support the banned group. Helm suggested that critics would want such books removed from shelves quickly due to their political stance.

A Metropolitan Police spokesperson confirmed that the post is being reviewed. A government spokesperson stated that the views expressed by Helm are held by an individual who does not represent the government in any capacity. Pro-Israel groups, including the Campaign Against Antisemitism, have called for a police investigation into her remarks. Helm is a former foreign correspondent and author.

The UK government outlawed Palestine Action in July 2025, making support for the group a criminal offence punishable by up to 14 years in prison. Rights group Amnesty International reports that more than 3,500 people have been arrested since the ban took effect. Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband said last month that the government was reviewing whether the ban was politically sensible, noting that mass arrests were not the intended outcome.