Irish author Sally Rooney has confirmed that her novels will no longer be available through UK booksellers. The decision follows the UK government’s 2025 decision to proscribe the protest group Palestine Action as a terrorist organization, a move that has created legal complications regarding the distribution of the writer’s work.
Rooney, whose bibliography includesNormal PeopleIntermezzoConversations With FriendsandBeautiful World, Where Are Youhas been a vocal supporter of the group. According to data from NielsenIQ BookData, Rooney has sold more than six million books worldwide, with approximately 2.3 million of those sales occurring in the UK.Normal Peoplereleased in 2018, gained further prominence following a successful television adaptation. Although many book shops still have existing stock of physical copies, ebook editions have already been removed from sale in the UK. Effectively launching the acting careers of Paul Mescal and Daisy Edgar-Jones, normal People was released in 2018 and turned into a hit TV series two years later.
Publisher Statement and Contractual Impact
- Current Status: Faber has ceased supplying new books to the UK market in all formats.
- Financial Constraint: Faber indicated that current UK legislation prevents them from passing earnings from book sales to Rooney.
- Corporate Position: The publisher labeled the inability to compensate the author an unconscionable scenario, though they remain the publisher for her work in other international territories.
- Inventory Note: While digital editions have been removed, retailers like Waterstones have been informed that existing physical stock currently on shelves does not face removal restrictions.
In a formal statement, Rooney explained that her continued support for the group—which remains legal in the Republic of Ireland—could be construed as a serious criminal offense within the UK. She noted that she has been transparent about her political convictions and accepts the personal consequences of her stance. Last August, she wrote an opinion piece for theIrish Timesconfirming her intent to use royalties to support the group, and she previously canceled a UK trip to accept an award due to concerns regarding potential arrest. And I am wholly prepared to accept the consequences,” she said, i have made every effort to be honest with the public about my beliefs and intentions. On Wednesday, Rooney continued: “As a result, the fulfilment of contracts to publish my work in the UK could now constitute a serious criminal offence.
The move has been met with both criticism and support. Huda Ammori, a co-founder of Palestine Action, praised Rooney for taking a principled stand, describing the withdrawal of her books as a distressing decline in free speech protections. Conversely, the government’s 2025 proscription order cited the group’s history of criminal damage and their targeting of arms manufacturers connected to the conflict in Gaza.
The legal landscape surrounding the group remains active, with approximately 3,700 individuals having been arrested in the UK for alleged support of the organization. Of these, roughly 2,500 have been charged. No trials have commenced to date, as a comprehensive legal challenge to the group’s proscription status is scheduled to be heard by the Supreme Court next month.
Important Details
- As such, and in full agreement with Sally, we have taken the decision that we can no longer supply her works in the UK in any format.
- The group’s activities have included targeting arms companies linked to Israel’s war in Gaza.
