Children’s Laureates Chris Haughton and Nicola Davies to Donate Royalties to Sally Rooney After UK Sales Halted Over Palestine Action Support

Ireland’s children’s laureate Chris Haughton and Wales’s children’s laureate Nicola Davies are donating royalties from their own books to novelist Sally Rooney, after Rooney’s UK sales were halted due to her support for Palestine Action. The move is a direct act of solidarity with the bestselling author, who has been unable to receive royalties from her UK sales because of her public backing of the direct action group. Haughton said he wanted to highlight the “absurdity” of the situation, where an author can be blocked from earnings because of political expression. The gesture underscores growing tensions between creative professionals and publishers over political activism, and raises questions about how far commercial platforms can go in restricting authors. By redirecting their own income to Rooney, the laureates are making a financial and symbolic statement in support of free expression. Their action could inspire other writers to take similar steps, and it puts pressure on the publishing industry to clarify its stance on author activism. As the debate continues, the literary world is watching to see if Rooney’s UK sales will resume or if further solidarity campaigns will emerge.