Children’s laureates pledge book royalties to Sally Rooney over UK sales halt
Irish and Welsh children’s laureates Chris Haughton and Nicola Davies will donate book royalties to Sally Rooney, in solidarity after she stopped receiving royalties from UK sales because of her support for Palestine Action. Their gesture highlights tensions between the group’s proscription under UK terrorism law and authors’ freedom of expression.
Haughton will give Rooney royalties from his UK book sales, while Davies plans to donate her next half-year royalties from *The Day War Came*. Rooney had said she would use proceeds from her books to support Palestine Action; knowingly providing funds that may be used for terrorism can carry a maximum 14-year prison sentence. A Supreme Court challenge to the group’s ban is due to be heard on 4 and 5 November.
In short
- Two children’s laureates will give royalties to Sally Rooney.
- The gesture responds to UK restrictions linked to her support for Palestine Action.
- A Supreme Court challenge to the group’s ban is scheduled for November.
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The case for
Supporters of the donations can argue that writers should be free to express solidarity with a political cause and direct their earnings accordingly, especially while the group’s proscription is being challenged in court. They may see the royalties pledge as a principled defence of artistic freedom and a way to support Rooney after UK sales income was halted.
The case against
Those concerned about the donations can argue that the proscription reflects Parliament’s judgement that Palestine Action meets the legal threshold for a terrorist organisation, and that knowingly providing funds that may support it can carry serious criminal penalties. On this view, the law should be applied consistently, and public gestures of solidarity should not obscure the risks of directing money towards a proscribed group.
Explained simply
Children’s laureates are writers chosen to promote reading and books for young people. Chris Haughton is Irish and Nicola Davies is Welsh; Sally Rooney is an Irish novelist whose books are sold in the UK.
Palestine Action is a protest group that has been proscribed under UK terrorism law, making it a criminal offence to belong to or support it in certain ways. Rooney said she intended to give money from her books to the group, and UK sales royalties have been withheld amid questions about whether transferring funds could break the law.
The case has raised questions about how the ban applies to authors’ donations and public statements. The group’s proscription is being challenged in the UK Supreme Court.
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Originally published by The Guardian as “Two children’s laureates to give royalties to Sally Rooney after her UK sales halted”.