UK police decide no criminal probe needed for adviser’s wife after Palestine Action post
Police in the United Kingdom have concluded that a social‑media message posted by the wife of Prime Minister Andy Burnham’s national security adviser does not warrant a criminal investigation, even though the post appears to endorse Palestine Action, a group banned in the country as a terrorist organisation.
A Metropolitan Police spokesperson said on Saturday that officers examined the post made by Sarah Helm and determined it “did not meet the criminal threshold. No further police action will be taken.” The force had previously announced on Friday that Helm’s message was “being assessed to determine whether any further police investigation may be required”.
Helm, an author and journalist married to National Security Adviser Jonathan Powell, posted on X on Thursday: “God help us authors who support Palestine and Palestine Action.” She made the comment after publisher Faber announced that its Irish author Sally Rooney could no longer sell her books in the United Kingdom, following Rooney’s decision to donate her royalties to Palestine Action.
In a statement on its website, Faber said current UK legislation prevents the publisher from passing earnings on to Rooney, describing the situation as “unconscionable”. The company added that, in agreement with Rooney, it would cease supplying her works in the UK in any format, while continuing sales in other territories.
The Campaign Against Antisemitism reacted on X, calling Helm’s post “gobsmacking” and urging that the police investigate and that Helm face “the full force of the law”. When asked for comment on Friday, a government spokesperson said Helm’s remarks “do not represent the government in any capacity”.
Palestine Action has been listed as a terrorist organisation since a July 2025 vote by UK lawmakers. Amnesty International reports that more than 3,500 people have been arrested in the UK for alleged support of the group since the ban, many for holding placards. The organisation challenged the proscription, but the Court of Appeal upheld the ban in June.