Pro-Palestine Action post by wife of aide to British PM doesn’t warrant probe — cops
UK police say tweet by Sarah Helm, whose husband is Burnham's national security adviser, expressing support for Sally Rooney doesn't meet 'criminal threshold' of backing for proscribed group
The wife of the UK government's national security adviser, Sarah Helm, will not face further police action for a social media post referencing Palestine Action, the Metropolitan Police has stated. Helm, married to Jonathan Powell, wrote on X on Thursday that "God help us authors who support Palestine and Palestine Action." The post came in response to a discussion about author Sally Rooney, whose books will not be sold in the UK after she announced she would use her royalties to support the controversial organization.
On Saturday, the police assessed Helm's post and determined it did not meet the criminal threshold for an investigation. The Met Police had previously said they were in the process of assessing the post to determine if further investigation was needed. Palestine Action is proscribed as a terrorist organization in July 2025, and supporting it is a criminal offense punishable by up to 14 years in prison.
Rooney, a best-selling author, announced she would donate proceeds from her books to the group, which seeks to end global participation in Israel's "genocidal and apartheid regime." As a result, Rooney's publisher, Faber, decided not to sell her novels in the UK.
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