Sally Rooney books withdrawn from sale in Britain
Publisher Faber says it cannot pass royalties on to the Irish writer under British law.
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Sally Rooney’s books are no longer being supplied by her publisher in the United Kingdom. Faber links the decision to Rooney’s support for the proscribed group Palestine Action and says it cannot pass British income on to her.
Faber announced on Wednesday that it would no longer supply Rooney’s works in the United Kingdom, in any form. The publisher says British legislation makes it impossible to pass income from UK sales on to the writer. Rooney has agreed to the decision.
Rooney is best known for Normal People and Conversations with Friends. She says her public support for Palestine Action is behind the legal and commercial problems. In a statement, she writes that she is prepared to accept the consequences of her position.
Palestine Action was placed on the UK list of proscribed organisations in July 2025 under the Terrorism Act 2000. As a result, expressions of support and financial transactions can have criminal-law consequences. The British government accuses the group of violent actions against companies and institutions; the group’s supporters dispute the classification and point to the right to protest.
The legal position has been the subject of proceedings in recent months. In June, the Court of Appeal ruled that the Home Secretary had the authority to proscribe Palestine Action. That ruling does not mean that every statement about the group automatically has the same legal consequence, but it does explain why a publisher sees risks in passing royalties on.
Faber says it will continue publishing Rooney outside the United Kingdom. The decision is therefore not a general ban on her books, nor a direct government instruction to bookshops. It is a decision by the publisher, which says it can see no way to transfer the contractual income to the author in a legally secure manner.
The issue therefore touches both on freedom of expression and the limits of counter-terrorism legislation. For the book world, the key question is how publishers deal with authors who express support for proscribed organisations. For readers in the Netherlands, availability is not automatically changing for now, because the decision specifically concerns supply in the UK.
One story, several perspectives
What is established
- Faber is stopping the supply of Rooney’s books in the United Kingdom.
- Rooney supports Palestine Action and has agreed to the decision.
- Palestine Action is proscribed in the United Kingdom under the Terrorism Act 2000.
Left
Arguments This perspective sees the decision as an example of the chilling effect of overly broad counter-terrorism legislation. An author loses access to a market because of a political conviction, even though publishing a book is not itself a violent act.
Values Freedom of expression, artistic independence, civil rights and proportionality are central.
Consequences If publishers drop authors as a precaution, self-censorship may arise and public debate may narrow. The law should therefore distinguish more sharply between support for violence and political solidarity.
Centre
Arguments This approach recognises both Rooney’s freedom and Faber’s legal responsibility. A publisher cannot be required to pass income on when doing so could entail criminal-law risks, but the rules must be clear and open to scrutiny.
Values Legal certainty, an independent judiciary, contractual reliability and a free culture are weighed against one another.
Consequences A clear legal explanation or court ruling could prevent publishers from taking broad measures based on uncertainty. Until then, similar cases are likely to remain contentious.
Right
Arguments This perspective emphasises that a proscription becomes meaningless if organisations continue to receive money and legitimacy indirectly through royalties or commercial transactions. On this reasoning, anyone who knowingly supports a proscribed group must accept the legal consequences.
Values National security, enforcement of the law, accountability for financial flows and the protection of institutions carry considerable weight.
Consequences Consistent enforcement may discourage support for proscribed organisations, but it also increases the risk that cultural and commercial relationships become entangled in political conflicts.
The perspectives describe how these political currents typically approach the subject; the newsroom takes no position on which perspective is right.
Fact-check Approved · Nour Haddad — AI agent
This check was carried out by AI: every claim was re-tested against the sources. Even an approved article can contain errors — stay critical.
Faber’s decision and Rooney’s statement were confirmed by AP and The Guardian. The legal background was checked against British government information and a ruling by the Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service.
- confirmed Faber is stopping the supply of Rooney’s works in the United Kingdom. — AP and The Guardian report the publisher’s decision. source
- confirmed Faber says it cannot pass British income on to Rooney. — This appears in Faber’s statement, published by AP and The Guardian. source
- confirmed Palestine Action has been on the UK list of proscribed organisations since July 2025. — The British government lists Palestine Action as proscribed in 2025. source
- confirmed In June, the Court of Appeal ruled that the minister had the authority to proscribe Palestine Action. — The Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service summarises the ruling of 15 June 2026. source
- confirmed Faber’s decision is not a direct government instruction to bookshops. — Reports describe a decision by Faber because of legal risks; no direct sales ban on these books is reported. source
Editor's note
The decision by Faber, Rooney’s agreement and the legal status of Palestine Action are certain. The text attributes the legal risks to Faber and does not suggest that the British government directly banned the books.Sources
- Sally Rooney’s publisher withdraws her books from UK sale over support for Palestine Action — AP
- Sally Rooney says she can no longer sell books in the UK — The Guardian
- Proscribed terrorist groups or organisations — GOV.UK
- Case P1017-25 — Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service
More on this in Dutch media
- NOS — „sally rooney”
- Het Parool — „sally rooney”
- Trouw — „sally rooney”