Entertainment

Sally Rooney Withdraws Her Book from the UK in Support of Palestine…

Stateline MEDIA Newsroom•October 16, 2026•3 min read

Books by novelist Sally Rooney have been pulled from circulation in the UK after she said she intended to use her royalties to support Palestine Action, a group banned by the government. Publisher Faber said it could not pass on her UK earnings to her.

Key Facts

Irish novelist Sally Rooney and her publisher Faber have agreed that her books will no longer be sold in the UK in any format, after Rooney planned to use her royalties to support Palestine Action.
Palestine Action has been banned by the UK government as a terrorist organization since July 2025; supporting it is punishable by up to 14 years in prison.
Faber said English law prevented them from passing on English earnings to Rooney — 'selling a writer's work without being able to pass on earnings is an unacceptable situation for a publisher'.
Rooney (35), the author of 'Normal People' and 'Conversations with Friends', said she is prepared to face the consequences and stressed that Palestine Action is not banned in the Republic of Ireland.
Their books will continue to be sold outside the UK; booksellers can sell through their existing stock but will not be resupplied by Faber.
More than 3,000 people have been arrested for putting up signs of support for Palestine Action; the UK Supreme Court is scheduled to hear an appeal against the ban next month.

Sally Rooney's Book Withdrawn from the UK

Irish novelist Sally Rooney will no longer sell her books in the UK following her support for Palestine Action, a pro-Palestinian group banned by the UK government as a terrorist organization. The decision was announced by Rooney and her publisher, Faber, on Wednesday (14/10/2026).

Rooney, the 35-year-old bestselling author known for her novels 'Normal People' and 'Conversations with Friends', previously said she intended to use the proceeds from her book sales to support Palestine Action. Since the group was banned in July 2025, supporting it has become a criminal offense in the UK, punishable by up to 14 years in prison.

Publisher Unable to Disburse Royalties

Faber explained that English law had created a situation in which they could no longer pass on income from the UK to Rooney for her work. The publisher described selling an author's work without being able to pass on the income as an unacceptable situation.

With Rooney's full approval, Faber decided to no longer supply her works in the UK in any format. Rooney's titles have reportedly been withdrawn from e-book and audiobook sales — buyers on the Audible audiobook store were told that the platform 'currently does not have rights to sell this title in your country/region'. Booksellers can still sell through their remaining stock, but will not be resupplied.

Rooney said he had tried to be honest with the public about his beliefs and intentions, and that he was fully prepared to accept the consequences. He stressed that Palestine Action is not a banned organization in the Republic of Ireland, where he lives.

Controversy Over Freedom of Expression

The ban on Palestine Action began after its activists broke into a British air force base at Brize Norton in June 2025 to protest British military support for Israel's military operations in Gaza. Since then, more than 3,000 people have been arrested for displaying signs of support for the group, and the ban has been criticized by civil liberties groups.

Palestine Action founder Huda Ammori described Rooney's inability to publish his work in the UK as a new low in the attack on freedom of expression resulting from the ban. The UK Supreme Court is scheduled to hear an appeal against the ban on Palestine Action next month, the outcome of which could change the legal landscape of the case.