Politics Joe
@PoliticsJOE·764K subscribers·4.2K videos
Sally Rooney to sponsor Palestine Action through book sales
Posted
August 19, 2025
Views
8,918
Likes
181
Comments
71
Engagement
2.83%
August 19, 2025
8,918
181
71
2.83%
Every word spoken in this episode is indexed. Type any phrase to jump straight to the moment it was said.
Type any word or phrase that may have been spoken. Click a result to seek the player to that exact moment.
Try a name, a topic, or a quoted line
9:46Now PlayingIn a clip from today's podcast, Laura and Seán dive into the controversy surrounding acclaimed Irish author Sally Rooney, after her statement in the Irish Times declaring that she will donate royalties from her books, including Normal People and Conversations with Friends, to Palestine Action, an organisation recently proscribed in the UK.
Rooney’s announcement has ignited a heated debate on the boundaries between political activism, free speech, and terrorism laws. Since Palestine Action was officially proscribed on July 5th, offering financial support could now be considered a breach of the UK’s Terrorism Act. What would this mean for publishers, booksellers, and even readers?
Laura and Seán unpack the legal and cultural implications of Rooney’s decision, the UK government’s response, and the wider debate about solidarity with Palestine, artistic responsibility, and the risks faced by public figures who take strong political stances. They also reflect on Rooney’s long-standing support for the BDS movement, her refusal to publish in Hebrew with a company based in occupied territories, and the wider impact on writers, actors, and cultural institutions associated with her work.
***
[AD] Save more, earn more—up to 4% AER (variable). Interest rates are tiered,
with the top rate for balances over £1M. Each tiered rate applies to the
portion within that range. New Tide members get these rates free for 6
months; after that, your Tide plan’s rates apply. Visit tide.co/joe for more.
Rate correct as of 7th August 2025.
***
Like PoliticsJOE? We need your support:
Sentinel Indexing in Progress
Metadata and chapters are available. Claim extraction for this episode is pending.
All video content is delivered via YouTube embedded players in accordance with the YouTube Terms of Service. Sentinel provides research tools that promote discovery and accountability across political media.
