Sally Rooney books can’t be sold in UK amid Palestine Action ban, publisher says
Quick Look
Faber announced it cannot pay Irish author Sally Rooney for UK book sales due to UK legislation that prohibits financial transactions with individuals linked to Palestine Action, a group banned as terrorist in the UK but not in Ireland where Rooney resides.
AI-generated summary
Why It Matters
Palestine Action was banned as a terrorist organisation by the UK government in July 2025. The group is not banned in Ireland, where Sally Rooney lives and continues to express support for the organisation.
Irish author Sally Rooney can no longer sell her books in the UK because of her support for the activist group Palestine Action, her publisher Faber said on Wednesday.
Rooney has previously expressed her support for the group, which was banned as a “terrorist” organisation by the UK government in July 2025. It is not banned in Ireland, where Rooney lives.
The proscription, which the organisation is appealing against, puts Palestine Action on the same blacklist as militant groups Hamas and Hezbollah, making it illegal in the UK to be part of, support or finance it.
“Current legislation in the UK has led to circumstances where Faber cannot pass on UK earnings to Sally Rooney for her work. To sell a writer’s work and not be able to pass on earnings is an unconscionable situation for a publisher,” Faber said in a statement on its website.
What to Watch
AI outlook — possibilities, not facts
Faber may seek legal clarification or lobby for legislative change regarding payments to authors linked to proscribed groups
Possible · Within months
Open Questions
- Whether Rooney will challenge the restriction legally
- If other authors face similar restrictions due to political affiliations
- How long the current legislative barrier will remain in place
