Paul Mescal, Daisy Edgar-Jones and Jessie Buckley back Sally Rooney in open letter

Paul Mescal, Daisy Edgar-Jones and a host of prominent writers, actors and cultural figures have signed an open letter supporting Irish author Sally Rooney after her books were withdrawn from UK distribution over her support for Palestine Action.

The letter, published by New Statesman on October 21, declares, “Sally Rooney is a writer, not a terrorist. Her books must be available to the public.” It argues that the withdrawal of Rooney’s work represents an attack on freedom of expression and calls on the British government to amend the anti-terrorism legislation behind the decision. 

Mescal and Edgar-Jones starred as Connell Waldron and Marianne Sheridan in the acclaimed television adaptation of Rooney’s novel Normal People, while director Lenny Abrahamson, who helmed six of the series’ 12 episodes, has also signed the letter.

Other high-profile signatories include actors Tilda Swinton and Susan Sarandon, singer-songwriter CMAT, actress Jessie Buckley, musician Robert Del Naja of Massive Attack, filmmaker Jonathan Glazer and former footballer Gary Lineker. Authors Zadie Smith, Arundhati Roy, Julian Barnes, Jeanette Winterson, Irvine Welsh and Marian Keyes have also added their names. Nobel literature laureates Anne Carson, Annie Ernaux and JM Coetzee are among the supporters. 

The letter comes after Rooney’s publisher, Faber, announced last week that it would stop supplying her books in the UK, with the author’s agreement. The decision followed concerns that UK earnings from her work could be passed on to support Palestine Action, which the British government proscribed as a terrorist organisation in July 2025.

Rooney has publicly expressed her support for the direct-action group and previously said she intended to use proceeds from her books and television adaptations to support it. Under UK law, providing money or other property to a proscribed organisation can constitute a criminal offence in certain circumstances.

Faber said existing legislation meant it could no longer pass UK earnings to Rooney, describing the prospect of selling her books without paying her as “unconscionable”. The publisher said it would continue selling her work in other territories. 

Rooney’s books have not been formally banned in the UK. Bookshops can continue selling copies already in stock, but retailers can no longer order new supplies from Faber. The distinction has become central to the debate over whether the decision amounts to indirect censorship.

The signatories argue that the withdrawal of Rooney’s work undermines fundamental principles of free speech and artistic expression. They are urging the British government to change the legislation that has placed the author and her publisher in this position.

The controversy has also drawn attention to the wider consequences of the UK’s proscription of Palestine Action. The group, known for direct-action protests targeting companies linked to the arms industry, was banned following an incident in which activists broke into an RAF base and damaged aircraft in protest against British military support for Israel.

The legality of the proscription remains contested, with a further legal challenge expected to reach the UK Supreme Court. Critics of the ban argue that its application risks restricting peaceful political expression, while supporters of the legislation maintain that it is intended to prevent support for a prohibited organisation.

The open letter adds to growing opposition from cultural figures who believe the law should be reconsidered. For Rooney, the dispute has become a high-profile example of the tension between political convictions, publishing rights and the limits imposed by counterterrorism legislation.

With Mescal, Edgar-Jones and other prominent figures lending their support, the campaign is now drawing attention well beyond the literary world, placing freedom of expression and solidarity with Palestine at the centre of a widening public debate.