Palestine Action post by Sarah Helm draws UK response

Downing Street has distanced itself from comments by Sarah Helm, the wife of national security adviser Jonathan Powell, after she voiced support for the banned activist group Palestine Action.

Helm, a journalist and author, posted on X on Thursday: "God help us authors who support Palestine and Palestine Action." The group was banned as terrorist by the UK government last year, and it is illegal in the UK to support or finance it.

A government spokeswoman said: "These views are held by an individual who does not represent the government in any capacity."

Helm was commenting after publisher Faber said on Wednesday that Irish author Sally Rooney cannot sell her books in the UK because of her support for Palestine Action.

The Campaign Against Antisemitism said on X that Helm's post was "gobsmacking" and called for police to investigate. It also urged Powell to denounce the comments because of his involvement in Middle East diplomacy.

London's Metropolitan Police did not immediately respond to AFP's request for comment.

Britain's Supreme Court is set to hear an appeal against the Palestine Action ban from the group's co-founder Huda Ammori next month. The proscription has led to more than 3,500 arrests at UK protests.