Actors and musicians sign open letter backing Sally Rooney after UK bans her books
The open letter, published in the New Statesman, calls the ban an affront to free speech and urges the government to reverse it.
By Felo News Desk · Published
Actors Paul Mescal and Daisy Edgar-Jones, along with musicians and writers, have signed an open letter to the UK government defending author Sally Rooney after her books were barred from sale in Britain.
What happened
Following a UK court decision that upheld a ban on Rooney’s titles because of her support for the proscribed group Palestine Action, her publisher Faber announced it could no longer pass UK earnings to the author and withdrew her books from UK shops. In response, a letter published in the New Statesman gathered signatures from a range of cultural figures, including Mescal, Edgar‑Jones, the hip‑hop duo Kneecap, Zadie Smith, Tilda Swinton and Kate Nash.
What the reports add
Variety notes that the letter also bears the name of "Normal People" director Lenny Abrahamson and that it was signed by Mescal’s Oscar‑winning co‑star Jessie Buckley. Rolling Stone adds that the letter describes the ban as an "affront to basic principles of free speech and expression" and cites the New Statesman wording verbatim. Both outlets repeat the claim that the ban stems from the UK Terrorism Act, which in 2025 designated Palestine Action as a terrorist organization.
What was said
Rolling Stone reported the letter’s opening line: “Sally Rooney is a writer, not a terrorist. Her books must be available to the public.” The same wording appears in Variety’s description of the letter. The New Statesman statement, quoted by both outlets, calls the removal of Rooney’s books “ill‑conceived and draconian anti‑terror legislation.”
How it came about
Rooney’s support for Palestine Action, a group that the UK designated as a terrorist organization in July 2025, led to legal restrictions on public membership, support or financial aid for the group, with penalties of up to 14 years in prison, as detailed by Rolling Stone. Earlier this month Rooney warned that publishing or selling her work in the UK could constitute a serious criminal offence. Faber’s withdrawal of her titles was reported in Felo’s own article on 14 Oct 2026 (Sally Rooney’s books withdrawn from UK sales), which explained the publisher’s inability to remit royalties.
Key facts
- Paul Mescal and Daisy Edgar-Jones signed an open letter supporting Sally Rooney (variety.com)
- The letter was published in the New Statesman and includes other signatories such as Zadie Smith and Kneecap (rollingstone.com)
- Rooney’s books were withdrawn from UK sales after her support for Palestine Action, designated a terrorist group in 2025 (rollingstone.com)
Timeline
- 2025-07-01 — UK designates Palestine Action as a terrorist organization
- 2026-10-14 — Faber stops supplying Sally Rooney's books in the UK
- 2026-10-21 — Open letter published in the New Statesman supporting Rooney
Sources
- [1] variety.com
- [2] rollingstone.com
