Sally Rooney’s Publisher to Stop Selling Her Books in U.K. Due to Palestine Support

On October 14, Sally Rooney and her longtime publisher, Faber, announced the acclaimed Irish author will no longer be selling her best-selling books in the United Kingdom due to her ongoing support for the banned organization Palestine Action. In summer 2025, the U.K. banned Palestine Action, labeling it a “terrorist organization,” which led Rooney to publish an op-ed in The Irish Times pledging her commitment to fund the network. “My books, at least for now, are still published in Britain, and are widely available in bookshops and even supermarkets. In recent years the UK’s state broadcaster has also televised two fine adaptations of my novels, and therefore regularly pays me residual fees,” Rooney wrote at the time, noting that she intended to use these proceeds to support the network and other direct actions against genocide. “If the British state considers this ‘terrorism’, then perhaps it should investigate the shady organisations that continue to promote my work and fund my activities, such as WH Smith and the BBC.”

In a statement released October 14, Rooney wrote that the withdrawal of her books from sale in the U.K. stems from her continued support for Palestine Action, saying she can no longer receive royalties from her work in the country because of this. “As a result, the fulfillment of contracts to publish my work in the UK could now constitute a serious criminal offense. After a process of consultation and deliberation, and with my full agreement, my publisher Faber has therefore determined that it can no longer supply my work within the UK,” she said. In its own statement, Faber confirmed that it was a mutual decision, writing, “To sell a writer’s work and not be able to pass on earnings is an unconscionable situation for a publisher.” Thus, a decision was made to cease sales altogether.

The escalation is not necessarily surprising, as Rooney has been, in her own words, “honest with the public about my beliefs and intentions,” but the reality of the situation feels extreme. Rooney’s work has been hugely successful in the U.K. and will likely continue to be so, even as her books vanish from the shelves in the coming weeks. They’ll still be there, clutched in hand on the train or tucked into tote bags, reminding people of what she gave up.