Sally Rooney’s Books Withdrawn from UK Sale After Publisher Cites Terrorism Law in Royalty Dispute.

Irish novelist Sally Rooney and her UK publisher Faber have confirmed that her books will no longer be supplied in the United Kingdom.

The decision follows a legal assessment that paying Rooney royalties from UK sales could constitute a criminal offence under British terrorism legislation, due to her public support for the proscribed group Palestine Action.

Faber said on Wednesday that current UK legislation prevented it from passing on earnings from Rooney’s UK sales to the author.

The publisher stated that selling a writer’s work without being able to pay them was an untenable position.

Rooney, whose novels include Normal People, Conversations with Friends, and Intermezzo, said the decision was made with her full agreement. In a statement provided to The Guardian, she said she was prepared to accept the consequences of her position.

Legal Background of the Dispute

Palestine Action was proscribed as a terrorist organisation in the UK in July 2025. The group, founded in 2020, campaigns against the arms trade and has targeted defence companies linked to Israel.

In August 2025, Rooney published an opinion piece in The Irish Times stating her intention to continue supporting Palestine Action.

Supporting a proscribed organisation is an offence under the UK’s Terrorism Act, carrying a maximum sentence of 14 years in prison.

Rooney subsequently cancelled a trip to Britain to collect a literary award over concerns she could face arrest.

She also submitted a witness statement to the High Court in London in November 2025, warning that her existing books could disappear from UK bookshops and that she might be unable to publish new work in the country.

The High Court ruled in February 2026 that the ban on Palestine Action was unlawful and disproportionate. However, the Court of Appeal overturned that decision in June, finding the proscription lawful. An appeal is due to be heard by the UK Supreme Court on 4 and 5 November.

Publisher’s Statement and Sales Impact

In its statement, Faber said: ‘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.’

The publisher confirmed it would continue to sell Rooney’s books in other territories. Books already in the UK market can sell through and do not need to be returned.

Rooney’s sales figures in the UK are substantial. Normal People has sold more than one million copies in the UK alone, while Conversations with Friends and Beautiful World, Where Are You have each sold over 500,000 copies.

Television adaptations of Normal People and Conversations with Friends were produced by the BBC, with the former becoming the broadcaster’s most-streamed series of 2020.

Rooney said in her statement: ‘I have made every effort to be honest with the public about my beliefs and intentions, and I am wholly prepared to accept the consequences. I have no further comment at this time.’

Ongoing Legal Challenge

The proscription of Palestine Action remains subject to an ongoing legal challenge brought by the group’s co-founder, Huda Ammori. The Supreme Court appeal is scheduled for next month.

More than 3,000 people have been arrested in the UK for alleged support of Palestine Action since the ban came into effect. Civil liberties groups have criticised the proscription as an infringement on freedom of expression.

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Rooney, who lives in County Mayo in the Republic of Ireland, where Palestine Action is not a proscribed organisation, has said the situation represents an extreme incursion by the state into artistic expression.