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The 32-county People Before Profit and why it's anti-austerity and pro-Brexit

The party has two representatives in Stormont.

Renewable Heat Initiative allegations Gerry Carroll says People Before Profit is happy an election has been called so the electorate can have their say on the 'cash for ash' scandal. David Young / PA Wir David Young / PA Wir / PA Wir

SINN FÉIN USED to trumpet it as one of their unique selling points, while Fianna Fáil regularly threatened to do it without following through, but another party has managed to get a political foothold on both sides of the border.

People Before Profit (PBP) secured their first two Stormont seats in May of last year and in next month’s election it will run seven candidates.

In different ways on either side of the border, the party’s growth represents a movement away from tribalism towards a more common left-right divide.

While this has been gradual, Northern Ireland’s  ‘cash for ash’ scandal and other recent controversies have hastened this process, so says People Before Profit MLA Gerry Carroll.

He argues that there’s a growing anger and distrust about the governance of the six counties.

“The way the general public sees Stormont is more of a racket than an Assembly. That’s been kinda bubbling for a while,” Carroll argues.

People’s lives weren’t getting any better, they were getting materially worse. They’re waiting longer to get operations on the NHS, they’re waiting longer on trolleys, their schools are underfunded, teachers nurses are competing for a decent wage.

PastedImage-32004 Twitter / GerryCarollPBP Twitter / GerryCarollPBP / GerryCarollPBP

PBP ran its first candidate in the Northern Ireland Assembly elections ten years ago and has grown its base on issues that echo their colleagues in the Republic.

Namely, the anti-water charge movement, opposition to austerity and the support of neutrality and Palestine.

Carroll was first elected to Belfast City Council in 2014 and two years later gained an Assembly seat after topping the poll in the Sinn Féin dominated six-seater in Belfast West.

Veteran socialist campaigner Eamonn McCann was also elected for the party in Derry after taking the last seat in the Foyle constituency.

To create the required power-sharing government in Northern Ireland, members have to designate as ‘nationalist’ or ‘unionist’ when signing the register as an MLA on the first day the Assembly meets after an election.

Both Carroll and McCann did not sign the register as either, instead recording themselves as ‘socialist’.

The 32-county People Before Profit is against partition but Carroll says it does not let the issue define them as a party:

“We’re against partition because we believe it divides workers north and south, we’re against division and we’re against borders.”

 

For us, fundamentally the main divide in society is class, so if you’re a working-class Protestant on the Shankill or a working-class Catholic on the Falls Road, or you’re a migrant living in Belfast, you know you’re not the one availing of the RHI scheme.

Brexit

People Before Profit supported the Leave side in the EU referendum and it’s pro-Brexit stance led to criticism from Sinn Féin among others.

Carroll questioned the need for the referendum, saying that it was a power struggle within the Conservative Party that went too far. Once it was called though, the party had a decision to make.

“We made a decision to say that the EU does not operate in the interests of working people anywhere, and the strongest example of that is Greece,” he says, adding that the priority now is to make sure Brexit works for working people.

“What we need is a Brexit that is not shaped by Theresa May, we need one that is shaped by working class people in Northern Ireland, England, Scotland and Wales. And one that is shaped by the trade union movement. ”

Read: Poll support for left-wing parties ‘shows the huge impatience for Repeal referendum’ >

Read: People aren’t happy about a proposed change to this Dublin Bus route >

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125 Comments
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    Mute Ted Logan
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    Apr 7th 2015, 9:07 AM

    Will be getting a pro-rata refund on our monthly plans for the period the service was unavailable? Because the minute you go over your data/call allowance the sure know how to charge you.

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    Mute Ailbhe O'Nolan
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    Apr 7th 2015, 9:10 AM

    I’m sure their own eff ups are catered for in their fine print. Typical big business, cover their arises but screw the little people over.

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    Mute TheSpätzleOne
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    Apr 7th 2015, 11:03 AM

    Not a chance. Suck it up

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    Mute TheLoneHurler
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    Apr 7th 2015, 11:56 AM

    Think of the money you saved by not being billed for calls, texts and data over the 12-hour period!

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    Mute Ailbhe O'Nolan
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    Apr 7th 2015, 12:47 PM

    What if you’re on a plan that covers all calls, texts and data?

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    Mute Veronica
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    Apr 7th 2015, 9:15 AM

    Dreadful service there providing… Wish o2 had chosen not to sell out of Ireland…. Had no internet reception last week despite being in a well established 3G area… Very frustrating

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    Mute Kate Ellen Egan
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    Apr 7th 2015, 9:42 AM

    Internet is always disconnecting since 02 sold to 3

    53
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    Mute Klara Hallinan
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    Apr 7th 2015, 10:49 AM

    I switched to 3 last October from Meteor as their monthly bill rate was cheaper. Never had a single problem with getting signal in my apartment with Meteor, couldn’t get an ounce of signal with 3. Rang them and they told me to ‘give it a few days’ as it was a new connection. Week later rang them back, still no signal, they blamed it on the triple glazed windows and the fact it was an apartment block. Moved to a house in Rathcoole in January, still not an ounce of signal. Moved to Kildare in February, have signal now but Internet signal is still patchy at best.. I should have stayed with meteor and paid the extra tenner.

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    Mute TheSpätzleOne
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    Apr 7th 2015, 11:05 AM

    Cool story, bro.

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    Mute helixjo1
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    Apr 7th 2015, 11:22 AM

    Very little chance this had anything to do with the three take over. Its not like they tore down o2s network and put up their own, probably would have happened anyway.

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    Mute Veronica
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    Apr 8th 2015, 11:33 AM

    Its shocking Kate Ellen, was in West Cork over the weekend & before when i was on o2 network i had 3G coverage where my family home is as there was a mast directly across from us so o2 always had excellent coverage.. Now since 3 took over there is no internet at all there its shocking & very frustrating…

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    Mute mark leonard
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    Apr 7th 2015, 9:18 AM

    Great start to our forced takeover by three for us former 02 customers. In ten years with 02 I never recall this happening, couple of weeks in and we go out of service for an entire day!!! Just adds to the concerns and reservations of 02 customers who have been transferred over to 3 without our consent

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    Mute Jason
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    Apr 7th 2015, 9:54 AM

    Consent? They bought the company, they don’t need your consent.

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    Mute mark leonard
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    Apr 7th 2015, 10:01 AM

    Should be an option to opt out, whilst I’m aware they don’t need my consent as a customer I should be allowed leave if I don’t have confidence in the new provider. I signed up with 02 not 3 and they’ve now scarpered mid contract. My one experience with 3 was about 7 years ago with an internet dongle and the signal was beyond crap and the customer service laughable, my gut instincts so far tell me not much has changed. Luckily I only have a few months left to run so its highly unlikely I’ll be staying with them

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    Mute Mike
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    Apr 7th 2015, 10:08 AM

    I had the same problem with three in London. Do not setup a direct debit with this company.

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    Mute Robert Moore
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    Apr 7th 2015, 9:28 AM

    I wouldn’t trust 3 as far as I could throw them. I had a bad experience with their customer service on a few occasions. When I cancelled my contract with them, a few months later they came back and told me I hadn’t cancelled and denied even getting my call. The next time I called they told me that they had loged my call as a request for an upgrade. In the end they threatened to send the bailiff and it cost me an extra €60. How they ever got approved for the national broadband schemeis besides me. Not a company I would recommend to my worst enemy.

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    Mute Anon Ymous
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    Apr 7th 2015, 9:14 AM

    I still don’t have any service??

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    Mute Denise Friary
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    Apr 7th 2015, 9:16 AM

    So how did you post your comment on here.

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    Mute Ciaran Behan
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    Apr 7th 2015, 9:22 AM

    Free WiFi

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    Mute See My Vest
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    Apr 7th 2015, 9:22 AM

    WiFi? Isn’t tech great Denise.

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    Mute Anon Ymous
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    Apr 7th 2015, 9:40 AM

    Yes, wifi connection still working.

    However, my my network connection is just back, thankfully.

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    Mute Rory Murphy
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    Apr 7th 2015, 9:39 AM

    I’d say the customer service centre in India earned their money yesterday!!!

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    Mute trickytrixster
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    Apr 7th 2015, 9:22 AM

    Wouldn’t happen to vodafone customers, you get what you pay for peasants

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    Mute Mike
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    Apr 7th 2015, 9:30 AM

    More fool you for paying Vodafones rip off charges for little in return. C.S is appalling at Vodafone.

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    Mute Aaron
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    Apr 7th 2015, 9:30 AM
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    Mute Jack Dexter
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    Apr 7th 2015, 9:15 AM

    3 network nearly cost me a good few euros good job there was a bookies nearby…

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    Mute Gerard Ryan
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    Apr 7th 2015, 9:19 AM

    First world problems.

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    Mute Jason
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    Apr 7th 2015, 9:55 AM

    Not if you need an ambulance or other emergency services and your mobile is your only way of contacting them.

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    Mute Gerard Ryan
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    Apr 7th 2015, 10:43 AM

    Rubbish! You’ll always be able to make an emergency call even if your signal is down as it will automatically latch onto other service providers.

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    Mute See My Vest
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    Apr 7th 2015, 11:04 AM

    Emergency calls override the network and connect to any available signal. 112 can be called even when there’s no SIM in the phone

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    Mute Geri Murphy
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    Jan 4th 2016, 2:12 PM

    You’re mistaken sir. I had the unfortunate scenario quite recently, of having to dial 999. 4 occasions with call failed – Three network, had to drive to neighbours to use a landline

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    Mute Niall Sheridan
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    Apr 7th 2015, 9:52 AM

    Call them and ask for a credit on you bill!!

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    Mute Suzie Sunsine
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    Apr 7th 2015, 11:20 AM

    I still don’t have any service !

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    Mute D is Illusioned
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    Apr 7th 2015, 12:22 PM

    Looking for alternative provider.

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    Mute maguire
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    Apr 7th 2015, 10:48 AM

    There is still a gap in pickup to answer it’s getting annoying.

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    Mute Paulie5waulie
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    Apr 7th 2015, 11:47 AM

    Total loss of service since last Thursday and I’m on meteor anyone else having probs on meteor???

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