Met Police rules pro-Palestine Action post by Sarah Helm not criminal

London’s Metropolitan Police has said it will take no action over a social media post by the wife of the UK prime minister’s national security adviser after she was accused of expressing support for Palestine Action, the direct action group banned under British terrorism law.

Sarah Helm, a prominent journalist and author married to Andy Burnham's national security adviser, Jonathan Powell, appeared to express support for the group on X on Thursday.

The Met said Helm's post was not criminal. It stated: “The post was assessed by specialist officers and it was determined that it did not meet the criminal threshold. No further police action will be taken.”

Helm was responding to broadcaster Adam Boulton, who on Thursday criticised Sally Rooney, the best-selling Irish novelist whose books are being withdrawn from the UK market over her support for Palestine Action.

Boulton criticised Rooney on Sky News and accused her of taking a "very strong pro-Palestine, and, I have to say, anti-Israel and anti-Jewish stance".