Sally Rooney's books withdrawn from new UK supply over Palestine Action support
Sally Rooney's publisher Faber will stop supplying new UK editions because her support for Palestine Action could breach terror laws, though existing stock remains on sale.
The Full Story
A plain summary built from the channels that reported this story.
Best-selling Irish author Sally Rooney will no longer have new books supplied to UK booksellers after her publisher, Faber, concluded that paying her UK earnings could breach terrorism legislation because of her support for Palestine Action.
Rooney, whose novels include Normal People, Conversations with Friends and Beautiful World, Where Are You, has been a vocal supporter of Palestine Action, a direct action protest group. The UK government proscribed the group as a terrorist organisation in July 2025. The ban was upheld by the Court of Appeal and is now subject to a legal challenge due to be heard by the Supreme Court next month.
The author said she would continue to donate proceeds from her books to the group when it was proscribed, and she cancelled a trip to the UK for fear of arrest. Palestine Action is not proscribed in the Republic of Ireland, where she lives.
In a statement, Rooney said the fulfilment of contracts to publish her work in the UK could now constitute a serious criminal offence. Faber said it could not legally pass on her UK earnings to her under the legislation, and therefore could not supply her works in the UK. Ebooks have already been removed. The publisher called the situation unconscionable for a publisher, according to one broadcast report, and Rooney said the decision was made with her agreement.
Waterstones, the largest UK bookstore chain, said copies already in its stores will remain on sale. The change affects new stock, not existing shelves. Rooney has sold about 2.3 million books in the UK and more than six million worldwide. Several of her novels have been adapted for television, including Normal People.
The Home Office said the proscription of Palestine Action followed a rigorous, evidence-based decision-making process that was endorsed by Parliament. It pointed to the Court of Appeal's finding that Palestine Action carried out acts of terrorism, celebrated those who took part and promoted the use of violence.
Palestine Action co-founder Huda Ammori said the move marked a new low in an escalating assault on free speech caused by the proscription. She said Rooney's work should be celebrated and widely available, not driven off British bookshops because she refuses to be complicit in the suppression of solidarity with the Palestinian people.
Green Party leader Zack Polanski criticised the government, saying Labour had said it got it wrong on Gaza and had now banned books by one of the most celebrated and influential authors of recent times. He called the law authoritarian and ludicrous and said the proscription must be overturned.
Some supporters of Rooney have described the development as an attack on artistic freedom. Broadcasters stressed that the books have not been formally banned, and that the withdrawal of new supply is a consequence of the legal risk around her UK earnings and her stated intention to support Palestine Action.
On screen
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Key Claims
Claims reported during this story's coverage, grouped by how many channels reported each one. Select a dot to see the source excerpt.
| Claim |  |  |  |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reported by all 3 channels | |||
| A legal challenge or appeal over Palestine Action's proscription is heading to the Supreme Court, with Sky News reporting it is due to be heard next month. | Reported by BBC News | Reported by BBC One | Reported by Sky News |
| Sally Rooney's books will no longer be supplied to UK booksellers after publisher Faber said legislation prevented it from passing on her UK earnings, and her ebooks have already been removed. | |||
| The UK government designated Palestine Action as a terrorist organisation. | |||
| Only on one channel | |||
| Green Party leader Zack Polanski said Labour had banned Rooney's books, called the law authoritarian and ludicrous, and said the proscription must be overturned. | Not reported by BBC News | Not reported by BBC One | |
| Rooney has sold more than six million books worldwide, including a reported 2.3 million in the UK. | Not reported by BBC News | Not reported by BBC One | Reported by Sky News |
| Rooney said contracts to publish her work in the UK could now be a serious criminal offence. | Reported by BBC News | Not reported by BBC One | Not reported by Sky News |
Channel Perspectives
What each channel focused on, with key quotes.
BBC One West led with a studio segment from its culture editor, treating the story as a culture and publishing fallout from the Gaza conflict. It focused on Rooney's commercial scale, the role of Faber, Waterstones keeping existing stock, and the pending Supreme Court challenge. It did not carry the Home Office response or statements from Palestine Action or the Green Party.
- “She is a vocal supporter of the direct action protest group Palestine Action The UK government prescribed them as a terrorist organization last year and thousands of people have been arrested since for supporting It”
- “Her publisher is Faber They have said they can't legally pass on her UK earnings to her as a result of the legislation So therefore they can't supply her works here in the UK and ebooks have already been removed”
- “Waterstones the biggest bookstore said her novels that are already in their stores will remain there This is about new stock”
The Context repeated the same BBC culture report with almost identical wording, keeping the focus on the publishing mechanics and Rooney's stated position. It offered no additional political reaction or Home Office comment beyond the legal challenge to the proscription. The tone was explanatory and neutral.
- “The best-selling Irish author Sally Rooney who wrote Normal People says she can no longer sell her books in the UK because of her support for the band group Palestine Action.”
- “the fulfilment of contracts to publish my work in the UK could now constitute a serious criminal offence”
- “some people are already saying this is a an attack on artistic freedom”
The Wrap framed the story through free speech and legal risk, bringing in a correspondent and carrying statements from both Palestine Action and the Home Office. It stressed that the books have not been banned and explained that the withdrawal follows Rooney's decision to spend UK royalties in support of the group. It also highlighted the Supreme Court appeal.
- “Sally Rooney's books have not been banned. The reason why they are being withdrawn is because she has made the decision that she's going to spend her English or British royalties in support of Palestine Action.”
- “Sally Rooney being unable to publish her work in the UK marks a new low in the escalating assault on free speech caused by the prescription of Palestine Action.”
- “the Home Office says the prescription of Palestine Action followed a rigorous and evidence-based decision-making process, which they say was endorsed by parliament.”
Mornings expanded the political reaction, with a correspondent running through the legal ban, Faber's position and criticism from the Green Party. It gave more detail on the publisher's claim that passing on earnings would be unconscionable and on the distinction between existing stock and new publications. It also carried the Home Office defence of the proscription.
- “she is a Blockbuster author she sold more than six million copies of her books Around the world's more than two million of them here in the UK”
- “They have banned books by Sally Rooney one of the most celebrated and influential authors of recent times”
- “the prescription of Palestine Action followed a rigorous and evidence-based decision-making process endorsed by Parliament the Court of Appeal found that Palestine Action carried out acts of terrorism celebrated those who took part in them and Promoted the use of violence”
Broadcast Timeline
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