Faber & Faber, the publishing organisation behind the Irish award winning author Sally Rooney, has publicly stated that they have been forced to withdraw the writers books from sales in the UK due to Rooney ongoing support for Palestine action.
The organisation, Palestine action, was deemed as a terrorism group in July 2025 by the UK and therefore it is illegal to financially support them. After the group was banned, Rooney stated that royalties from her books were being donated to the organisation. Rooney became aware that supporting organisations banned under the UK terrorism act is an criminal offence, a punishable crime with possible prison time of up to 14 years.Â
Last November, Rooney was warned of this issue by the high courts in London, that her existing books could disappear from UK book shops and possibly unable to publish new work here. Though she highlighted that she is content with the consequences of her choices.
Rooney has confirmed that Faber has reaches its decision to pull her books from the shelves “with her full agreement”. The publishing company have stated:
“To sell a writers work and not be able to pass on earnings is an unconscionable situation for a publisher.”
Emphasizing they are pleased with the decision they have made to back the author and their decision to no longer supply Rooney’s work in any format throughout the UK. They will continue to sell in other territories.
Rooney has made an effort to be honest with the public and her supporters about her beliefs and intentions. In August 2025 , Rooney wrote an opinion piece in the Irish times with the headline ‘I support Palestine action, if this makes me a supporter of terror under the UK Law then so be it’. Her published article couldn’t be more direct with where the author stands on this cause.
Current book supplies will continue to be sold but supplies will not be replenished. Waterstones confirmed to the BBC that Faber had advised there were no restrictions on booksellers keeping their current copies on the shelves. As news broke eBook editions have already been removed from the UK.
Rooney is a best selling author known for her novels about adult life and relationships, many of which have been developed into television series. Having sold more than six million books globally, including 2.3 million in the UK. The author did not attend an event in September 2025, in London, where she won the Sky Arts Award for Literature for her fourth novel Intermezzo. As there was the possibility that she could have been arrested.
