Police Decline Further Action Against Government Adviser’s Wife Over Palestine Post

The Metropolitan Police have announced that no further action will be pursued against Sarah Helm, the wife of the UK government’s national security adviser, following her social media remarks related to the group Palestine Action.

Helm, married to Jonathan Powell, took to X (formerly Twitter) on Thursday to express her concern, stating, “God help us authors who support Palestine and Palestine Action.” Her comments came in response to a broader debate surrounding author Sally Rooney, whose works will not be distributed to UK booksellers after she revealed plans to donate her royalties to the proscribed organization.

On Saturday, the police confirmed that Helm’s post had been reviewed by specialized officers, concluding that it did not violate any criminal laws. “No further police action will be taken,” the police noted.

Initial responses from the Metropolitan Police indicated they were assessing whether an investigation was necessary after they were alerted to Helm’s comments on October 15.

Palestine Action was declared a terrorist organization in July 2025. Supporting this group is classified as a criminal offense, punishable by up to 14 years in prison.

Sally Rooney, a bestselling author, has pledged to allocate proceeds from her books to the group, which aims to “end global participation in Israel’s genocidal and apartheid regime.” Following her announcement, Rooney’s publisher, Faber, decided it could not sell her renowned novels, including Normal People and Conversations with Friends, in the UK.