Sally Rooney’s novels are disappearing from British bookstores, but not because a government banned them.
Her publisher, Faber, said Oct. 14 that it will no longer supply her work “in the U.K. in any format,” a decision it made in full agreement with the Irish author.
In an August 2025 Irish Times op-ed, Rooney said she intends to use the proceeds of her work, and her public platform, to keep supporting Palestine Action. The UK designated the direct-action group a terrorist organization in July 2025, which makes it a crime there to be a member of it, support it publicly or fund it.
That leaves Faber holding royalties it can’t hand over. “To sell a writer’s work and not be able to pass on earnings is an unconscionable situation for a publisher,” Faber said.
Rooney said that fulfilling her UK publishing contracts “could now constitute a serious criminal offence.” She added, “I am wholly prepared to accept the consequences.” She has also canceled an upcoming UK trip, reportedly over fears she could be arrested. Palestine Action is not banned in Ireland, where she lives.
Critics of Rooney welcomed the move. The Campaign Against Antisemitism said it had reported her to counterterrorism police and said she “can’t have her cake and eat it.” Rights groups have called the ban on Palestine Action a crackdown on dissent, and more than 3,000 people have been arrested at demonstrations supporting the group. The government maintains the ban doesn’t stop lawful pro-Palestinian protest.
The fight isn’t over. The UK Supreme Court is set to hear an appeal of the ban early next month.
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