Children’s laureates pledge book royalties to Sally Rooney after UK saleshalt

Haughton, Ireland’s children’s literature laureate, and Davies, the laureate for Wales, are ones who announced support

Children’s authors Chris Haughton and Nicola Davies have pledged to donate royalties from their books to Irish novelist Sally Rooney in a show of solidarity after her publisher stopped supplying her work in the UK over concerns surrounding her support for Palestine Action.

Haughton, Ireland’s children’s literature laureate, and Davies, the children’s laureate for Wales, announced their decisions following the controversy surrounding Rooney’s bestselling novels, including Normal People, Conversations with Friends and Intermezzo. Her publisher, Faber, announced on October 14 that it would no longer supply her books in the UK because current legislation prevented it from passing her British sales earnings on to her.

Haughton said he wanted to highlight what he described as the absurdity of the situation, arguing that authors should be able to express their political beliefs without facing restrictions on their work.

“I really want to express my full support for Sally Rooney,” Haughton told The Guardian. “As authors, we need to be focused on freedom of expression, this is everything we’re about, and this is just showing solidarity with an author who has bravely spoken out.”

He added that sending Rooney his royalties would expose what he sees as the contradiction at the heart of the situation. Haughton, whose books have sold millions of copies worldwide, said he would donate royalties from his UK book sales to the novelist.

Haughton has previously been arrested twice for holding placards allegedly supporting Palestine Action, a direct-action group that was proscribed under UK terrorism legislation in July 2025. He said the organisation had been effective in attempting to stop arms supplies to Israel and expressed confidence that his position would be vindicated by history.

Davies also pledged her support, saying she would donate her next half-year royalty payment from The Day War Came, her children's book about a child refugee fleeing conflict. She pointed to the humanitarian crisis in Gaza as a reason for speaking out, arguing that she could not advocate for children in Wales while remaining silent about the suffering of children in Palestine.

Rooney's situation stems from her public commitment to direct proceeds from her work towards Palestine Action. Under UK law, providing money to an organisation proscribed under terrorism legislation can constitute a criminal offence when a person knows or has reasonable cause to suspect that the funds may be used for terrorism. The offence carries a maximum prison sentence of 14 years.

Following discussions with Rooney, Faber said it could no longer supply her work in the UK in any format, while confirming that it would continue publishing and selling her books in other territories. Existing copies already held by British retailers were not being recalled, although the publisher would no longer replenish their stock.

The decision has prompted wider debate about freedom of expression, artistic independence and the consequences of the UK government's proscription of Palestine Action. More than 3,700 people were reported to have been arrested in Britain for alleged support of the group since the ban was introduced, with many cases involving people holding protest placards.

A legal challenge to the proscription is due to be heard by the UK Supreme Court on November 4 and 5. The case is expected to examine whether the ban disproportionately interferes with rights to freedom of expression and peaceful protest.

The pledges from Haughton and Davies add to growing support for Rooney among writers and other public figures, as the debate over the relationship between counterterrorism legislation and artistic freedom continues.