Sally Rooney’s books withdrawn from UK distribution over Palestine Action support
publishers 82articles 102first reported 14 Oct, 13:24 UTCdeveloping since 14 Oct · 13 editions
Irish novelist Sally Rooney and her publisher, Faber, have agreed to stop supplying her books in the UK because British anti-terrorism law prevents the publisher from passing UK earnings to her after she pledged financial support to Palestine Action.
Palestine Action was proscribed by the UK government in July 2025, making membership in or support for the direct-action group a criminal offence punishable by up to 14 years in prison. The group has targeted sites linked to arms manufacturers and broke into a British air force base, where activists spray-painted two aircraft. The government said the organization had caused serious property damage and that its methods had become increasingly aggressive.
Rooney said she had expressed her intention to continue supporting Palestine Action, which is not prohibited in the Republic of Ireland. She said fulfilling contracts to publish her work in the UK could consequently constitute a serious criminal offence. Faber said selling Rooney’s work without being able to transfer her earnings would be “unconscionable,” prompting the decision to halt UK supply in all formats while continuing sales elsewhere.
The announcement led to increased demand. The Irish Times reported that Rooney’s novels sold out at one Belfast bookshop on Friday morning, while another Northern Ireland retailer said sales had more than quadrupled. A Galway bookseller reported a tenfold increase.
Palestine Action is continuing its legal challenge to the ban, with a UK Supreme Court hearing scheduled for November 4 and 5.
HOW THIS STORY WAS MADE
Written from 8 articles, 4 with the publisher's own text; 8 independent newsrooms once syndicated copies count as one; this version written 72 h after the record first saw the story; the editor kept it as written.
- Publishers
- 82
- Source articles
- 102
- Given to the writer
- 8, 4 with the article's own text
- Independent newsrooms
- 8
- This version written
- 72 h after the record first saw the story
- Second model (editor)
- kept as written
- Publication gate
- passed
- Human review
- none
WHAT THE EDITOR DID
The second model checked the writer's draft against the same sources and published it as written.
Written by a language model from the sources above, then checked by a second model that may only cut, attribute or correct. How it works →