Irvine Welsh calls for repeal of Palestine Action proscription after Sally Rooney ban

Irvine Welsh publicly demanded that the law banning Palestine Action be scrapped, questioning why supporters like author Sally Rooney are being treated as terrorists. He argued that ordinary offences such as trespassing and criminal damage already cover the group’s illegal activities, making the terrorism label unnecessary. Welsh pointed out that the ban, effective from July 2025, criminalises any support for the group with penalties of up to 14 years.

After Rooney announced she would donate her earnings to Palestine Action, her publisher Faber decided it could no longer sell her books in the UK, citing the risk of a serious criminal offence. Host Elizabeth Glinka countered that the group has members convicted of grievous bodily harm, but Welsh dismissed the need for a terrorist designation. The debate underscores tensions between free expression, protest rights, and national security legislation.