Conservative MP Alicia Kearns has written to the prime minister questioning whether national security adviser Jonathan Powell can stay in his role after his wife's social media posts about Palestine Action.
01Summary
- 01Shadow home affairs minister Alicia Kearns wrote to the PM asking if Jonathan Powell's position is tenable after his wife Sarah Helm posted 'God help us authors who support Palestine and Palestine Action' on X.
- 02The Metropolitan Police concluded the post 'did not meet the criminal threshold' and dropped the matter on Saturday.
- 03A No 10 spokeswoman said Helm 'does not represent the government in any capacity'.
- 04Labour Against Antisemitism wrote to the PM calling for Powell to resign or be sacked, citing Helm's posts and a 2016 Guardian article where she discussed a conversation between George Bush and Tony Blair.
- 05Palestine Action was proscribed as a terror organisation last year, with membership or support punishable by up to 14 years imprisonment.
02Why it matters
The controversy raises questions about the security clearance and impartiality of a key national security adviser, potentially affecting public trust in government handling of sensitive information and proscription decisions.
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