Oh dear. There is plenty to worry about when it comes to Britain’s national security: depleted armed forces, inadequate defence investment and the state of Downing Street’s own National Security Adviser. Jonathan Powell is, of course, a key architect of the treacherous Chagos surrender deal. But his enthusiasm to cede sovereign territory and pay for the pleasure is not the only cause for concern. His wife now appears to have potentially expressed support for a proscribed terrorist organisation.
Responding to the Sally Rooney book saga yesterday, author Sarah Helm posted on X:
God help us authors who support Palestine and Palestine Action.
A scroll through Helm’s account reveals a slew of fervently pro-Palestine posts, including endorsements of the horrendous UN special rapporteur Francesca Albanese and former Momentum vice-chairman Jackie Walker, who was expelled from Labour over comments she made about Holocaust Memorial Day. Helm also tweeted: ‘Gaza folk get angry with Israelies, some get brutal (always have) cos they r refugees, stuck in a strip/cage since 1948 when Zionists attacked their 200 farming villages, drove/bombed them out and into this cage then stole Gaza folks’ lands.’
Yikes.
Today, Danny Kruger wrote to Andy Burnham to raise concerns about Powell’s close connection to an alleged terror group sympathiser. The Reform MP said: ‘As you will know, and as Jonathan Powell will certainly be aware, Palestine Action is a proscribed terrorist organisation under the Terrorism Act 2000. It has been an offence for anybody in Britain to display support for this group since July 2025.
‘I am concerned that Ms Helm appears to have breached the law and alarmed at what influence, if any, she might have on government policy with respect to Israel/Palestine and to the enforcement of the proscription.’
Scrambling to distance the government from the row, a No10 spokeswoman said: ‘These views are held by an individual who does not represent the government in any capacity.’
And now the Met has confirmed it is assessing Helm’s post. A spokesperson said: ‘We have been made aware of an X post on Thursday, 15 October referencing Palestine Action. It is in the process of being assessed to determine whether any further police investigation may be required.’
Not quite the sort of domestic security briefing Downing Street had in mind.
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