Police assess Palestine Action post by national security adviser's wife
The Metropolitan Police are assessing whether an X post by Sarah Helm, wife of National Security Adviser Jonathan Powell, needs investigation. The post appeared to back Palestine Action, a banned group. Downing Street said she does not represent the government.
1 / 3
The story, neutrally told
Right · 1British police said on Friday 16 October that they were assessing a social media post by Sarah Helm, the wife of National Security Adviser Jonathan Powell, who appeared to express support for Palestine Action. The Straits TimesRC “British police said on Friday they were assessing a social media post after the wife of National Security Adviser Jonathan Powell appeared to express support for Palestine Action” Read at The Straits Times ↗ Right · 2Helm, a journalist and author, wrote on X: "God help us authors who support Palestine and Palestine Action." She was replying to a post about the Irish novelist Sally Rooney. The Straits TimesRC “responded on X to a post about the Irish novelist Sally Rooney” Read at The Straits Times ↗ Arab NewsRC “posted on X Thursday “God help us authors who support Palestine and Palestine Action,”” Read at Arab News ↗ Right · 2Rooney's books are no longer to be sold in Britain. Reuters says she announced this because she plans to use her royalties to support Palestine Action. Arab News says the publisher Faber said she cannot sell her books in the UK because of her support for the group. The Straits TimesRC “announced her books would no longer be sold in Britain over her plans to use her royalties to support Palestine Action” Read at The Straits Times ↗ Arab NewsRC “publisher Faber said Wednesday its Irish author Sally Rooney cannot sell her books in the UK” Read at Arab News ↗
Right · 1Arab News reports that Helm's post criticised another British journalist who had said Rooney was anti-Israel and anti-Jewish. It says she claimed he would "have all our books swept off the shelves in a jiffy". Arab NewsRC “Helm’s X post criticized another British journalist who said Rooney had an anti-Israel and anti-Jewish stance” Read at Arab News ↗ Right · 1A Metropolitan Police spokesperson said the post is "being assessed to determine whether any further police investigation may be required". Palestine Action was banned under terrorism laws last year, which makes expressing support for it a criminal offence. The Straits TimesRC “being assessed to determine whether any further police investigation may be required”“Palestine Action was proscribed under terrorism laws last year, so expressing support for the group constitutes a criminal offence.” Read at The Straits Times ↗ Right · 2A government spokeswoman said: "These views are held by an individual who does not represent the government in any capacity." The Straits TimesRC “These views are held by an individual who does not represent the government in any capacity.” Read at The Straits Times ↗ Arab NewsRC “Downing Street Friday distanced itself from comments by the wife of the British prime minister’s national security adviser” Read at Arab News ↗
Right · 1The Campaign Against Antisemitism called the post "gobsmacking" and said the police need to investigate and Helm must "face the full force of the law". It urged Powell to denounce the rhetoric, citing his involvement in Middle East diplomacy. Arab NewsRC ““clearly, the police need to investigate and Ms Helm must face the full force of the law.””“It urged Powell to “publicly denounce this rhetoric” because he is involved in Middle East diplomacy.” Read at Arab News ↗ Right · 1Arab News notes that Helm's X account has over 1,000 followers, including Palestine Action co-founder Huda Ammori. It also says Helm wrote a 2011 play, "Loyalty", based on her relationship with Powell when he worked for Tony Blair. Arab NewsRC “over 1,000 followers including Palestine Action’s co-founder Huda Ammori”“In 2011 she wrote a play called “Loyalty” based on her relationship with Powell” Read at Arab News ↗ Right · 1Palestine Action has carried out protests including vandalism and denies that this amounts to terrorism. Four members were jailed in June over a 2024 raid on an Elbit factory that caused more than £1 million of damage. The Straits TimesRC “Four members of the group were jailed in June over a 2024 raid on a factory operated by Israeli defence firm Elbit which caused more than £1 million of damage.” Read at The Straits Times ↗
Right · 2Amnesty International says more than 3,500 people have been arrested in Britain for alleged support of the group since the ban, many for holding up placards. The Court of Appeal ruled in June that the ban was lawful, and Arab News says the Supreme Court will hear an appeal from Ammori next month. The Straits TimesRC “more than 3,500 people have been arrested in Britain for alleged support of Palestine Action”“the Court of Appeal ruled in June that the proscription was lawful” Read at The Straits Times ↗ Arab NewsRC “Britain’s Supreme Court is set to hear an appeal against the Palestine Action ban from Ammori next month.” Read at Arab News ↗
Every sentence links to the reporting it rests on. The pill in front of each says where its sources sit: Left, Centre or Right when one side supplies at least half of them, Mixed when they are evenly split. The number is how many outlets it cites.
Left1 outlet
No left outlet in our sources has covered this story yet.
Centre0 outlets
No centre outlet in our sources has covered this story yet.
Right2 outlets
- Framing
- Both outlets treat it as a political controversy over whether a senior official's spouse breached terrorism law. The Reuters piece leads with the police assessment. Arab News leads with Downing Street distancing itself and adds the Campaign Against Antisemitism's demand for action.
- Emphasis
- The criminal-offence angle, the government's disavowal, and the scale of arrests (more than 3,500) under the ban. Arab News adds the antisemitism campaign group's call for prosecution.
- Leaves out or plays down
- Neither outlet includes a response from Helm or Powell. Neither gives the criticism of the ban from Palestine Action's supporters beyond noting the group's denial or its legal challenges. Only Arab News reports the publisher's role and the group's call to investigate.
- Charged language
- “gobsmacking”“banned as a terrorist organisation”
- For example
-
“appeared to express support for Palestine Action, a pro-Palestinian group banned as a terrorist organisation” — The Straits Times
“has sparked controversy by voicing support for the banned activist group Palestine Action” — Arab News
What every side reports
- Sarah Helm, wife of Jonathan Powell, posted "God help us authors who support Palestine and Palestine Action" on X.
- A government spokeswoman said the views are held by an individual who does not represent the government in any capacity.
- Palestine Action was banned as a terrorist group last year, and more than 3,500 people have been arrested since.
Where accounts differ
-
Whether police have begun assessing the post
- Right
- Reuters, carried by the Straits Times, says the Met is assessing the post. Arab News, citing AFP, says the Met did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
-
What Helm's post meant
- Right
- Reuters says it "appeared to express support" for Palestine Action. Arab News says it "voiced support", and also says it criticised a journalist who had accused Rooney of anti-Jewish views.
Sarah Helm person
Helm's post is the subject of the story. The coverage carries no response from her beyond the post, in which she appears to defend authors who support Palestine and Palestine Action.
“Helm said in the post: "God help us authors who support Palestine and Palestine Action."” — The Straits Times
Jonathan Powell person
Powell, the national security adviser, is not quoted. The government says his wife's views do not represent it, and the Campaign Against Antisemitism urged him to denounce her rhetoric.
“It urged Powell to “publicly denounce this rhetoric” because he is involved in Middle East diplomacy.” — Arab News
Palestine Action US organisation
Palestine Action denies that its protests and vandalism amount to terrorism and challenged the ban. Its co-founder Huda Ammori has an appeal due before the Supreme Court next month.
“Palestine Action challenged the government's decision to ban the group, but the Court of Appeal ruled in June that the proscription was lawful.” — The Straits Times
East and Southeast Asia1 outlet
Reuters copy in the Straits Times, focused on the police assessment and the legal status of the ban.
“being assessed to determine whether any further police investigation may be required” — The Straits Times
The Straits Times
Middle East1 outlet
Arab News frames it as a row, quoting a campaign group's call for investigation, and the police had not yet replied.
“Asked by AFP for comment, London’s Metropolitan Police did not immediately react.” — Arab News
Arab News
Left1 article
Centre0 articles
No coverage yet.
Right2 articles
-
The Straits TimesRC · · via Reuters
UK police assess Palestine Action post by national security adviser's wife
Neutral Reuters wire copy carried by the Straits Times. It leads with the police assessment and gives the legal background, including arrest figures and court rulings.
-
Wife of UK PM top adviser in row over Palestine Action post
Mixed Leads with Downing Street distancing itself and the row, adds the Campaign Against Antisemitism's call for prosecution, and gives biographical detail on Helm.
- 16 Oct 17:30 First The Straits TimesRC UK police assess Palestine Action post by national security adviser's wife via Reuters
- 16 Oct 18:03 +33m Arab NewsRC Wife of UK PM top adviser in row over Palestine Action post
- 16 Oct 18:03 +33m The GuardianLC UK national security adviser under pressure over wife’s comment on supporting Palestine Action
Times are when each article was published, or when we first saw it if the outlet gave no time.
Ask about this story
Loading…