Wife of top Burnham adviser backs Sally Rooney after books withdrawn over Palestine Action support
Wife of top Burnham adviser backs Sally Rooney after books withdrawn over Palestine Action support Submitted by Imran Mulla on Fri, 10/16/2026 - 14:44 Sarah Helm, a prominent author and journalist, is the wife of the British prime minister's national security adviser, Jonathan Powell Sarah Helm is a former foreign correspondent for The Independent and has been a longtime critic of the Israeli…
Sarah Helm, the wife of the British prime minister's national security adviser Jonathan Powell, has come to the defense of bestselling author Sally Rooney. Rooney's books are facing withdrawal from the UK market after she expressed support for Palestine Action, a group banned by the UK government in July 2025. The ban makes expressing support for the organization a criminal offense, punishable by up to 14 years in prison.
Helen's post on X reads, "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." Powell, who was a senior official under Tony Blair's premiership, has previously opposed the sanctioning of Israeli settlements by Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband. Pro-Israel groups are now calling for a police investigation into Rooney's case.
Rooney, a former foreign correspondent for The Independent, has faced criticism for her stance on Palestine Action.
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