Prime Minister Andy Burnham has backed his national security adviser, Jonathan Powell, amid a row over social media posts made by the latter’s wife.
Sarah Helm, a journalist and author whom Powell married in 2007, posted on X last Thursday: “God help us authors who support Palestine and Palestine Action.”
Her post was reviewed by the Metropolitan Police, as Palestine Action is proscribed as a terrorist organisation, but the force said it did not meet the criminal threshold and no further action would be taken.
The Conservatives have since written to Burnham asking him to say if he has confidence in Powell.
The Prime Minister’s official spokesman praised the national security adviser on Wednesday, calling him “one of the finest diplomats in our generation” and reiterating that the views of his wife “are held by an individual who doesn’t represent the government in any capacity”.
Asked if Powell should be discussing his work with his wife after she made a separate post suggesting that he had not been involved in the decision to ban the group, the Prime Minister’s spokesman said: “I’m not going to get into people’s private lives.
“You’ve got our position on the national security adviser and his track record.
“As I’ve said, the proscription of Palestine action followed a rigorous and evidence-based decision-making process endorsed by parliament.”
Asked if Burnham had confidence in Powell, he said: “I think I’ve answered that question already.”
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