Libraries will not remove Walliams books, council says

Kent County Council says it will not remove books written by David Walliams from its libraries following allegations of sexual misconduct made against him.

A council spokesperson said there were "no plans" to remove Walliams' titles from its shelves, adding that decisions about its stock were "not made through blanket bans on individual authors".

The decision has drawn criticism from some opposition councillors, while others have defended its actions.

Reports by ITV News and the Guardian on Tuesday alleged that Walliams had been accused of sexual misconduct by several women. He denies all of the allegations against him.

In its statement, Kent County Council (KCC), which is controlled by Reform UK, said: "The starting point is that books should be available to readers unless their content is unlawful.

"Collections are regularly reviewed and refreshed to reflect factors such as reader demand, condition and relevance of stock."

Walliams has written 23 children's books which have sold more than 50 million copies worldwide, but he was dropped by publisher HarperCollins in 2025 after allegations of inappropriate behaviour, which he denied.

In September 2026, HarperCollins also announced it was cutting all ties with Walliams and would no longer represent his back catalogue, meaning his books would not be replaced when they sold out in shops.

In response to KCC's decision, Green party councillor Stuart Jeffery said: "It doesn't surprise me at all.

"I would have thought they might have removed Walliams' books to at least show some attempt of solidarity with women. Sadly they haven't done so."

Independent councillor Sarah Hudson added: "I am surprised, given that the publisher has severed ties with David Walliams and major booksellers are withdrawing his books."

But Maxine Fothergill, deputy leader of Restore Britain on KCC, said decisions on books "should be based on evidence and clear library policies, rather than trial by social media".

She added: "Allegations should be taken seriously and examined fairly, but they should not automatically lead to an author's books being removed from public libraries."

In his statement to ITV News and the Guardian, Walliams said: "Looking back, I realise that at times I behaved thoughtlessly towards other people I had casual sexual relationships with.

"I realise I did not always take people's feelings properly into account. That is something I regret. And whilst a power imbalance is inevitable when one party is famous, abusing that power is something else entirely and it is something that I never did."

He added: "I am not a sexual predator. I have not broken the law, but I am devastated that some of the women I met 10 to 20 years ago have now expressed hurt or anger towards me."

Elsewhere in the South East, councils in Sussex and Surrey also said they would not be removing Walliams' books.

Neighbouring Medway Council said that the books "should remain available to readers unless their content is illegal", in line with guidance from the Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals.

Surrey County Council said that demand for Walliams' books had "fallen significantly in recent years", but decisions on stock were "based on reader demand, usage and maintaining a relevant, balanced collection".

Walliams' titles are "not illegal" and "remain available for readers to borrow", it added.

West Sussex County Council said it would not be buying any more of Walliams' titles, citing HarperCollins' decision to phase out his backlist of books, but said it continued to stock its current collection.

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