Sally Rooney halts UK sales of her books over Palestine Action support

Irish novelist Sally Rooney said she will no longer have her books supplied to UK booksellers after confirming she intends to keep donating royalties to Palestine Action, a group proscribed as a terrorist organisation in the United Kingdom. In a statement to BBC News, Rooney explained that further publication of her work in the UK could constitute a "serious criminal offence" and that she had agreed with her publisher, Faber, to cease supply of her titles in the country.

"I have made every effort to be honest with the public about my beliefs and intentions, and I am wholly prepared to accept the consequences," Rooney said.

E-book editions have already been removed from UK online stores, while physical copies already in stock may remain on shelves, according to Waterstones. Faber said current UK legislation prevents the publisher from passing earnings from UK sales to Rooney, describing the situation as "unconscionable" and confirming the decision to stop supplying her works in the UK, though the publisher will continue to sell them in other territories.

Rooney previously wrote in the Irish Times that she would continue supporting Palestine Action despite the legal risk and cancelled a planned UK trip to collect an award over concerns of possible arrest. The UK government proscribed Palestine Action in July 2025, citing a history of criminal damage.