Rooney, the 35-year-old critically acclaimed author of best-selling novels including “Normal People” and “Intermezzo,” previously declared she would channel proceeds from her books and television adaptations into supporting Palestine Action. Following the group’s proscription in July 2025, Faber stated that paying royalties to the author could breach U.K. terror laws. The publisher announced that it had taken the decision to stop supplying her works in any format across the country, with Rooney’s full agreement.
Bookstores Scramble Amid Confusion
Faber’s abrupt announcement left independent bookshops scrambling to determine whether continuing to sell existing inventory would expose them to criminal liability. The Booksellers Association subsequently clarified with Faber that while new orders are blocked, retailers may legally continue selling their current stock within the U.K. market. Several London bookshops attempted to secure additional copies before distributors ran out entirely, only to find warehouse supplies exhausted.
“We were thinking, we’ll just get a whole bunch before we stop being able to,” said Lucy Burke, a bookseller at London’s Camden Town Bookshop, as cited by The Independent. Burke described the situation as “absolutely ridiculous” and argued that removing the evergreen titles amounts to the censorship of a prominent cultural voice.
Legal Battle Heads to Supreme Court
The controversy underscores deepening political and legal fractures over the proscription of Palestine Action, which campaigns against U.K. military support for Israel. While the group insists its direct action targets military and corporate infrastructure rather than individuals, government officials maintain that its tactics constitute terrorism. More than 3,000 people have been arrested and over 1,200 charged under the Terrorism Act for testing the ban by silently holding protest signs.
Legal challenges against the government’s proscription have moved through the appellate courts, with the Court of Appeal ruling in June that the ban was justified and proportionate. The legal battle is set to reach the U.K. Supreme Court next month, where defense lawyers will ask justices to quash the terrorist designation.
Reporting source: medicinehatnews.com.