The situation
If you were keeping an eye on the feed, you might have caught the drama surrounding Sarah Helm, a journalist and author married to the Prime Minister’s national security adviser, Jonathan Powell. After Helm tweeted, "God help us authors who support Palestine and Palestine Action," she found herself in the spotlight.
The Metropolitan Police briefly assessed the post to see if it crossed any legal lines after the Campaign Against Antisemitism (CAA) demanded an investigation. Real talk: support for the protest group Palestine Action has been a criminal offense in the UK since it was proscribed in July 2025. You’re looking at up to 14 years in jail for supporting them, which is highkey intense.
The outcome
Fast forward to Saturday, and the Met Police confirmed they’re dropping it. They determined the post didn’t meet the criminal threshold, essentially saying there wasn’t enough evidence to claim she was encouraging support for the banned organization.
Helm was apparently jumping into a convo about Irish author Sally Rooney, who recently shared that she can no longer sell her books in the UK due to her own stance on Palestine Action. A government spokesperson made it clear that Helm’s views are her own and don’t represent the administration, while the CAA maintained that the situation raises "extremely serious questions" for Powell and the government.
Why it matters
The line between personal expression and supporting a proscribed group is clearly a minefield right now. Because Palestine Action is banned under strict terror-related legislation, any public comment becomes a flashpoint for legal scrutiny. This case shows how high the stakes are for anyone choosing to speak out online, even when the authorities eventually decide it’s not quite a crime.
