Irish novelist Sally Rooney has said her works have been pulled from the UK market because she publicly supports Palestine Action, a group the British government has designated a terrorist organisation.
Rooney's publisher Faber said on Wednesday that the withdrawal was due to "circumstances in which Faber cannot transfer income from the UK to Sally Rooney for her work," calling it "an unacceptable situation for a publisher."
Rooney told BBC News that continuing to publish her work could constitute "a serious criminal offence."
She added that she had "tried her utmost to be honest" with the public about her beliefs and intentions, and that she was "entirely prepared to accept the consequences."
Digital editions of her work have been removed from the UK storefront, though some physical copies remain in shops.
Rooney has drawn widespread critical praise for her novels, including Normal People and Conversations With Friends, which have sold millions of copies worldwide. Both were adapted into television series by the BBC.
The UK government banned Palestine Action in July 2025 after activists from the group broke into a Royal Air Force base and sprayed red paint on two aircraft to protest Britain's military support for the war in Gaza, which they allege amounts to genocide. Membership of or support for the group in the UK can carry a prison sentence of up to 14 years.
After the ban took effect, Rooney wrote in The Irish Times that she would continue to support Palestine Action and that if doing so made her a "supporter of terrorism" under British law, so be it. She has publicly said she would use income from her novels and their adaptations to support the group. In September 2025, Rooney was unable to travel to the UK to accept an award for fear of arrest.
Independent MP Jeremy Corbyn, who was recently barred from entering Israel over his support for Palestine, said the situation showed "the complete absurdity of banning Palestine Action."
"What a stain on this government that people in this country cannot buy and enjoy the work of one of the greatest literary talents of this generation," he wrote in a statement on X.
Labour MP John McDonnell said in a statement that he did not want anyone in Britain to "miss out on her brilliant work."
