Met Police take no action over Sarah Helm’s Palestine Action post
Officers said Sarah Helm’s social media post did not cross the criminal threshold, ending an assessment that drew scrutiny because of her husband’s national security role.
The Lead
Britain’s Metropolitan Police said on October 17 that Sarah Helm’s post appearing to support the proscribed group Palestine Action did not meet the criminal threshold and that officers would take no further action. (aljazeera.com)
Key Facts
- Helm posted on October 15: “God help us authors who support Palestine and Palestine Action.” (aljazeera.com)
- The government said Helm’s views did not represent it “in any capacity.” (aljazeera.com)
- Jonathan Powell remains Prime Minister Andy Burnham’s national security adviser, according to current government records. (gov.uk)
Article Body
Police had announced on October 16 that they were assessing Helm’s post to decide whether further investigation was required. Helm, an author and journalist, is married to Jonathan Powell, the national security adviser to Prime Minister Andy Burnham. (1-e8259.azureedge.net)
Her comment followed publisher Faber’s statement that it could no longer supply Sally Rooney’s books in the UK because current legislation prevented it from passing UK earnings to Rooney after she said she planned to support Palestine Action. (aljazeera.com)
Palestine Action has been proscribed under the Terrorism Act 2000 since July 5, 2025. The relevant provisions make membership of, or inviting support for, a proscribed organisation a criminal offence. (scotcourts.gov.uk)
The Court of Appeal upheld the government’s decision to proscribe the group on June 15, 2026. The Supreme Court has scheduled a narrower appeal for November 4 and 5, focused on whether the home secretary followed the government’s published policy when imposing the ban. (scotcourts.gov.uk)
The next consequential question is whether that appeal will alter the legal framework police apply when assessing future expressions of support for Palestine Action.
What to Watch
The decision establishes that Helm’s wording, despite explicitly naming Palestine Action, was not considered sufficient to justify a criminal investigation under the proscription regime. (aljazeera.com)