Contrary to widespread claims, Sally Rooney's books have not been banned in the UK. The Irish author voluntarily withdrew her novels from sale after pledging to donate royalties to Palestine Action, a group proscribed as terrorist by the UK government in 2025. Critics, including the Green Party's Mothin Ali and Guardian columnist Owen Jones, accused the Labour government of censorship, with some drawing comparisons to Salman Rushdie's situation.
However, the books remain available on Amazon and the BBC still streams *Normal People* on iPlayer. Legal experts note that while Rooney resides in Ireland, her UK-based publisher, Faber & Faber, could face prosecution under the Terrorism Act for knowingly supporting a proscribed group. The author first made the donation pledge 14 months ago.
Rather than a ban, the withdrawal resembles a business cutting ties with someone planning to fund extremist groups. The article argues that framing this as book banning is fundamentally flawed and misrepresents both the legal reality and the nature of voluntary commercial decisions.
Source: Financial Times Companies · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing