UK
Michael Morpurgo and Frank Cottrell-Boyce call for reversal of ‘absurd’ Palestine Action ban
Hundreds of figures in children’s publishing and education including Michael Rosen and Lauren Child have backed the call
September 15, 2025 12:48
Hundreds of figures in children’s publishing and education including Michael Rosen and Lauren Child have backed the call
September 15, 2025 12:48Hundreds of children’s authors, illustrators and educators, including Michael Morpurgo and Chris Riddell, have signed their name to a letter calling on the UK government to recognise what they claim is a “genocide” in Gaza and to lift the ban on Palestine Action.
The writers – both of whom are former Children’s Laureates and have for decades been firm favourites for millions of young readers in the UK and abroad – are among more than 500 children’s authors, illustrators and educators to put their name to the statement expressing their “outrage” at what they called “the genocide in Gaza” and the “absurdity” of the Palestine Action ban.
However, the letter, which does not mention October 7, Hamas or the hostages still being held captive by the terror group in Gaza after nearly two years, risks alienating Jewish children by “erasing anybody Jewish from any of the tragedy”, some industry figures fear.
Other notable signatories include the current UK Children’s Laureate, Frank Cottrell-Boyce, and Lauren Child and Michael Rosen, both of whom have previously held this role.
Cottrell-Boyce’s Irish counterpart, Patricia Forde is also a signatory, along with all her predecessors since the role was established in Ireland in 2010.
Murpurgo, whose bestselling novels include War Horse and Kensuke’s Kingdom, was knighted in 2018 and has sold tens of millions of books worldwide, while illustrator and writer Riddell, who was awarded an OBE in 2019, is known for works such as The Graveyard Book and The Sleeper and the Spindle.
The letter reads: “We are outraged at the killing of over 19,000 children in Gaza, the thousands more who are injured and orphaned, and the starvation and humanitarian crisis that Israel is inflicting on them.
“We feel compelled to speak out in their defence. We are horrified by the persistent failure of the international community to stop the genocide and hold its perpetrators accountable.”
Referencing recent proscription of the group Palestine Action as a terrorist organisation, the letter continues: “We are also deeply concerned at efforts to curb protest and restrict free expression. The decision by the UK government to brand a non-violent direct action group, Palestine Action, as ‘terrorists’ is absurd.
“As individuals committed to defending the freedom to write, speak, and protest without fear, we view this development with particular alarm.
“If we cannot speak freely about the genocide of Palestinians, if we cannot condemn those who enable it and support those who resist it, the right to freedom of expression has no meaning.
“We urge the government to lift the ban on Palestine Action.”
The letter adds: “Every leading human rights organisation has recognised that this is a genocide. We urge the UK government to do the same and to meet its resulting legal obligations, including ending all military trade and other military cooperation with Israel.”
The Israeli government has repeatedly strongly denied accusations its actions in Gaza constitute a genocide, arguing its military does not target civilians and that it is Hamas that is responsible for the suffering in Gaza.
Commenting on the letter, Jewish children’s book author, Miriam Halahmy said: “I did recognise quite a few of the names on the list, and I was quite deeply disappointed, it's a very narrow statement.”
Halahmy, whose debut novel Hidden was longlisted for the prestigious CILIP Carnegie Medal in 2012, and whose latest title, Pomegranates for Peace centres on the aftermath of October 7 and the ensuing Gaza war – said: “I could see nothing in it that referenced Hamas, the way in which they behaved, the way in which they treat the hostages in their terror tunnels, and nothing about the way they treat their own people.”
She added: “I support all the peace builders in the Middle East wanting to bring Israelis and Palestinians together, and all the grassroots peace organisations, and many of the children's authors know this about me. I post it on social media regularly, and I can't see how this statement is going to do anything towards ending the conflict and building peace.”
Joanna De Guia, who used to own a children’s bookshop in east London and now works at the London Centre for the Study of Contemporary Antisemitism, said the letter “could have been an opportunity to show compassion to all the victims of what is a terrible war. It didn't.”
An unintended consequence, she fears, is that Jewish children now risk being further alienated: “It isolates Jewish children who might look that person up as an author, and then to find that this person has signed this statement which actually erases anybody Jewish from any of the tragedy.”
The statement was coordinated by Irish illustrator and author, Chris Haughton, and Joseph Nhan-O’Reilly, the co-founder and director of an education advocacy group, International Parliamentary Network for Education.
Outside of publishing, the letter was also signed by Daniel Kebede, general secretary of the National Education Union (NEU) and Matt Wrack, general secretary of NASUWT, the Teachers' Union.
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