SALLY ROONEY BOOKS WITHDRAWN FROM UK SALE OVER PALESTINE ACTION SUPPORT

Sally Rooney has said her books are being withdrawn from sale in the UK because of her support for Palestine Action, an organisation banned under the Terrorism Act. The Irish novelist said her publisher, Faber, decided it could no longer supply her work within the UK after she stated publicly that she intended to continue supporting the group. Rooney said fulfilling UK publishing contracts could now amount to a serious criminal offence given the proscription. She also said she cancelled a trip to the UK to collect an award because she feared arrest. In a statement given to The Guardian, Rooney said she had tried to be honest with the public about her beliefs and intentions and was prepared to accept the consequences.

Palestine Action was proscribed as a terrorist organisation in the UK in July 2025. The following month, Rooney wrote an opinion piece saying she intended to keep supporting the group, which she noted is not banned in the Republic of Ireland. She said she had planned to use proceeds from UK book sales to support Palestine Action. Rooney also provided a statement to the High Court in support of a legal challenge to the proscription, warning it could result in her books disappearing from UK shops and could prevent publication of her future work there. Her novels include Normal People and Conversations With Friends.

Rooney's books have sold in large numbers in the UK, with Normal People passing one million copies and both Conversations With Friends and Beautiful World, Where Are You exceeding 500,000 copies each. Faber reached the decision to stop supplying her work in the UK following what Rooney described as a process of consultation and deliberation, carried out with her agreement. The Independent separately reported that Rooney's books have been withdrawn from sale in the UK over her stance on Palestine Action. No further detail was given on when the withdrawal would take effect or whether existing UK stock would remain on sale.