Sally Rooney Withdraws Books From UK Market Over Royalties
Sally Rooney and publisher Faber & Faber stopped distributing her books in the UK after Rooney pledged royalties to a proscribed terrorist organization.
Irish novelist Sally Rooney and her publisher, Faber & Faber, announced that her books will no longer be supplied or distributed in the United Kingdom. The decision follows Rooney's public declaration that she intends to use her book royalties to support Palestine Action, a direct-action group the British government proscribed as a terrorist organization in July 2025.
Under Section 15 of the UK Terrorism Act, providing money to organizations suspected of terrorism is a criminal offense. Faber & Faber stated that current legislation prevents them from passing UK earnings to Rooney, calling the inability to pay an author an unconscionable situation. While the publisher will cease new supplies, books already available in the UK market may still be sold.
Rooney, who previously cancelled a trip to the UK due to fear of arrest, stated she is wholly prepared to accept the consequences of her beliefs. The proscription of Palestine Action is currently facing a legal challenge scheduled for the UK Supreme Court next month.
