People Before Profit

File:Socialist Environmental Alliance 1.png that operated between 2003 and 2008 before merging in People Before Profit]]

People Before Profit was established in 2005 as the People Before Profit Alliance by members of the Socialist Workers Party (SWP), a Trotskyist organisation affiliated to the International Socialist Tendency (IST).{{refn|

• {{cite web |url=https://lefteast.org/irish-voters-reject-the-right-a-new-opportunity-for-the-left/ |title=Irish voters reject the Right: a new opportunity for the Left? |last=Browne |first=Harry |date=13 February 2020 |website= |publisher= |access-date=7 April 2022 |quote=a loose historically-trotskyist alliance called “Solidarity – People Before Profit” (S-PBP), some affiliated to the Committee for a Workers International’s successor International Socialist Alternative, and others to the Cliffite International Socialist Tendency}}
• {{cite journal |last1=Finn |first1=Daniel |date=4 August 2021 |title=The Tributary |url=https://newleftreview.org/sidecar/posts/121 |journal=New Left Review |volume= |issue= |pages= |doi= |access-date=}}
• {{cite web|url=http://www.clririshleftarchive.org/organisation/254/|work=Irish Left Archive|title=About Socialist Workers' Network|access-date=16 April 2018}}
• {{cite web|url=http://www.socialistworkeronline.net/about-the-swp/|title=About the SWP|work=Socialist Worker online|access-date=16 April 2018|archive-date=6 January 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190106232941/http://www.socialistworkeronline.net/about-the-swp/|url-status=dead}}
• {{cite news|url=https://www.irishtimes.com/opinion/harry-mcgee-people-before-profit-and-the-anti-austerity-alliance-spot-the-difference-1.2384459|newspaper=The Irish Times|author=Harry McGee|title=People Before Profit and the Anti Austerity Alliance - spot the difference|quote=For anybody who has not been intimately involved with the Socialist Workers Party or the Socialist Party, you would need to have a PhD in semantics and rhetoric to winkle out the actual ideological difference between them. They are both Trotskyist and advocate permanent revolution and political agitation through working class mass action in capitalist societies such as Ireland.|date=9 October 2015|access-date=16 April 2018|archive-date=6 January 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190106233007/https://www.irishtimes.com/opinion/harry-mcgee-people-before-profit-and-the-anti-austerity-alliance-spot-the-difference-1.2384459|url-status=live}}

}} The Community & Workers Action Group (CWAG) in south Dublin joined the alliance in 2007 and brought along the party's first elected representative, Joan Collins, an anti–bin tax campaigner and former member of the Socialist Party.[http://www.indymedia.ie/newswire.php?story_id=64445 The Socialist Party, Joan Collins and the Bin Tax Battle] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190302020723/http://www.indymedia.ie/newswire.php?story_id=64445 |date=2 March 2019 }} An analysis by Dermot Connolly, ex Secretary of the Socialist Party In February 2018, the SWP renamed itself the Socialist Workers Network (SWN) to reflect "a decision to focus on building People Before Profit, and within that to win and educate as many members as possible in revolutionary socialist politics."{{Cite news|url=http://www.socialistworkeronline.net/socialist-workers-take-a-new-direction/|title=SOCIALIST WORKERS TAKE A NEW DIRECTION|work=Socialist Worker {{!}} Ireland|access-date=2018-02-13|language=en-gb|archive-date=14 January 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190114210453/http://www.socialistworkeronline.net/socialist-workers-take-a-new-direction/|url-status=dead}}

The Socialist Environmental Alliance (SEA) was a political party which operated in Northern Ireland, based largely in the city of Derry.{{Cite web |last=Derwin |first=Des |date=2010-12-13 |title=The United Left Alliance in Ireland: Is this the left unity we were hoping for? {{!}} Links |url=https://links.org.au/united-left-alliance-ireland-left-unity-we-were-hoping |access-date=2024-04-13 |website=links.org.au |language=en |quote=The Socialist Environmental Alliance (SEA) comprised the SWP, environmentalists and some others in Derry. The People Before Profit Alliance consists of the SWP plus various and varying activists, groupings and independents. The Campaign for an Independent Left (CIL) enfolded at one time the Dublin South Central-based Community and Workers Action Group (now in the PBPA), the South Tipperary Workers and Unemployed Action Group, the Irish Socialist Network and some independents. The rump of the CIL is now in the PBPA and still meets occasionally. Last year the SEA in Derry joined the PBPA.}}

The SEA contested the Northern Ireland Assembly 2003 election in the East Londonderry and Foyle seats (reflecting the party's Derry base). It polled poorly in East Londonderry, with candidate Marion Baur gaining 137 first preference votes (0.4% of the total),{{Cite web |title=East Londonderry |url=https://www.ark.ac.uk/elections/ael.htm |access-date=2024-04-13 |website=www.ark.ac.uk |quote=2003 Assembly election (26 November; six seats) ... Marion Baur (SEA) 137 (0.4%)}} although in Foyle Eamonn McCann gained 2,257 first preference votes (5.5% of the total).{{Cite web |title=Foyle 2003 |url=https://www.ark.ac.uk/elections/03foy.htm |access-date=2024-04-13 |website=www.ark.ac.uk |quote=Eamonn McCann - SEC - 2257}} Overall, SEA got 2,394 votes in the election, 0.35% of the total.{{Cite web |title=Northern Ireland Assembly Elections 2003 |url=https://www.ark.ac.uk/elections/fa03.htm |access-date=2024-04-13 |website=www.ark.ac.uk |quote=SEA - 2394 - 0.35%}}

It contested the 2004 elections to the European Parliament, with Eamonn McCann as their candidate. He received 9,172 first preference votes (1.6% of the total votes cast).{{Cite web |title=The 2004 European Election |url=https://www.ark.ac.uk/elections/fe04.htm |access-date=2024-04-13 |website=www.ark.ac.uk |quote=Eamonn McCann (SEA) 9,172 (1.6%).}} McCann then stood in the 2005 general election in the Foyle constituency, receiving 1,649 votes and winning 3.6% of the vote.{{Cite news |date=2010-04-07 |title=McCann urges DUP voters to consider PBP |url=https://www.northernirelandworld.com/news/mccann-urges-dup-voters-to-consider-pbp-2830215 |access-date=2024-04-13 |work=Northern Ireland World |quote=Mr McCann previously stood in the constituency in 2005 for the Socialist Environmental Alliance (SEA) when he received 1,649 and came fourth in the poll. Last year PBP and the SEA merged and now Mr McCann is asking the people of Londonderry to abandon the traditional parties and vote socialist.}}

McCann again stood for the organisation in Foyle in the 2007 Assembly election, receiving 2,045 votes (4.98% of the total).{{Cite web |title=CAIN: Issue: Politics: Elections: Assembly Election (NI) Wednesday 7 March 2007 |url=https://cain.ulster.ac.uk/issues/politics/election/2007nia/ra2007.htm |access-date=2024-04-13 |website=cain.ulster.ac.uk |quote=Eamonn McCann (SEA) - 2,045 - 4.98}} The group was dissolved in 2008 with most of it folding into the People Before Profit Alliance.

People Before Profit contested several constituencies in the 2007 general election, polling around 9,000 first preferences, with Richard Boyd Barrett—the candidate in the Dún Laoghaire constituency—missing a seat on the 10th and final count by 7,890 votes to 9,910.{{cite web |title=General Election 2007 - Dun Laoghaire |url=http://www.rte.ie/news/elections2007/results/constit-22.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070818183706/http://www.rte.ie/news/elections2007/results/constit-22.html |archive-date=18 August 2007 |access-date=28 May 2007 |website=RTÉ.ie}}{{cite web |url=http://electionsireland.org/candidate.cfm?ID=4256 |title=Ciaran Cuffe |website=ElectionsIreland.org |access-date=19 May 2016 |archive-date=3 February 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090203041407/http://electionsireland.org/candidate.cfm?ID=4256 |url-status=live }} PBP unsuccessfully ran one candidate, Sean Mitchell, in the 2007 Northern Ireland Assembly election, polling 774 first preference votes (2.3% of the total) in the Belfast West constituency.{{cite news |last= |first= |date=9 March 2007 |title=Belfast West Results |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/vote2007/nielection/html/45.stm |access-date=31 May 2022 |work=BBC News |location= |quote=Sean Mitchell - PBP - Eliminated - [#]6 - 774 [votes] - 2.3 [%]}}

In May 2008, People Before Profit launched a campaign calling for a No vote on the Lisbon Treaty when it was put to the people.{{cite web |url=http://archive.peoplebeforeprofit.ie/node/156 |title=Lisbon Treaty is unchanged and must be rejected | People Before Profit Alliance |website=Archive.peoplebeforeprofit.ie |access-date=19 May 2016|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160604231511/http://archive.peoplebeforeprofit.ie/node/156 |archive-date=4 June 2016}}

In the Republic's 2009 local elections People Before Profit ran twelve candidates, including ten in County Dublin. It secured five seats in three of Dublin's four councils.{{Cite web |date=2009-06-07 |title=People Before Profit Alliance win 5 Seats: Full list of results – People Before Profit |url=https://www.pbp.ie/people-before-profit-alliance-win-5-seats-full-list-of-results/ |access-date=2024-04-13 |website=pbp.ie |language=en-GB |quote=In a local election which saw the left perform extremely well, the People Before Profit Alliance won 5 Local Election Seats. In Dun Laoghaire, Richard Boyd Barrett topped the poll on the first count and took 22.8% of the vote. The following candidates were elected. Richard Boyd Barrett (Dun Laoghaire), Hugh Lewis (Ballybrack), Joan Collins (Crumlin), Brid Smith (Ballyfermot), Gino Kenny (Clondalkin)}} As well as ten members of the SWP, Joan Collins and Pat Dunne of the CWAG ran in Dublin,{{cite web|url=http://electionsireland.org/candidate.cfm?ID=6163|title=Pat Dunne|work=ElectionsIreland.org|access-date=24 May 2009|archive-date=22 October 2007|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071022150823/http://electionsireland.org/candidate.cfm?ID=6163|url-status=live}} and Donnie Fell (a former Waterford Crystal worker and trade union representative) in Waterford.{{cite news|first=Olivia|last=Kelly|url=http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/breaking/2009/0507/breaking70.htm|title=Left alliance to run 13 candidates|newspaper=The Irish Times|date=7 May 2009|access-date=7 May 2009}}

In the Republic's 2011 general election, both Richard Boyd Barrett and Joan Collins were elected to Dáil Éireann as TDs (deputies), running under a joint People Before Profit and United Left Alliance banner. PBP ran four candidates in the Northern Ireland Assembly election of May 2011, winning 5,438 first-preference votes between them but no seats in the new Assembly.{{cite web |last= |first= |date=11 May 2011 |title=Northern Ireland elections |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/special/election2011/constituency/html/northern_ireland.stm |access-date=31 May 2022 |website=BBC News |publisher= |quote=People before Profit Alliance - 0 [seats] - 0 [seat change] - 5,438 [votes] - 0.8 [%] - +0.7 [% change]}}{{Cite news |date=2011-05-03 |title=Assembly Elections 2011 - Party Profiles |url=https://www.rte.ie/news/special-reports/2011/0426/300302-nipartyprofiles/ |access-date=2024-04-13 |work=RTÉ |quote=People Before Profit Alliance ... The party is running four candidates in these elections.}} Its most successful candidate in this election was Eamonn McCann, who received 3,120 first-preference votes, or 8% of the total, in Foyle.{{cite web |last= |first= |date=11 May 2011 |title=Foyle Results |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/special/election2011/constituency/html/36717.stm |access-date=31 May 2022 |website=BBC News |publisher= |quote=Eamonn McCann - PBPA - Eliminated - [round] 0 - 3,120 [votes] - 8 [%]}} In the June 2011 Belfast West by-election, Gerry Carroll received 1,751 votes (7.6%), coming in third place and ahead of both unionist candidates.{{Cite news |date=2011-06-09 |title=Sinn Fein's Paul Maskey wins West Belfast by-election |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-northern-ireland-13718129 |access-date=2024-04-13 |work=BBC News |language=en-GB |quote=In second place was the SDLP's Alex Attwood on 3,088, with Gerry Carroll of People Before Profit third on 1,751.}}{{Cite web |title=West Belfast |url=https://www.ark.ac.uk/elections/awb.htm |access-date=2024-04-13 |website=www.ark.ac.uk |quote=2011 Westminster by-election (9 June) - ... Gerry Carroll (People Before Profit) 1751 (7.6%)}}

In April 2013, Joan Collins TD and Cllr Pat Dunne left the group to form United Left, a political party with former Socialist Party TD Clare Daly.{{Cite web |last=O'Connell |first=Hugh |date=2013-04-25 |title=Two TDs setting up new 'United Left' political party |url=https://www.thejournal.ie/united-left-new-political-party-882971-Apr2013/ |access-date=2024-04-13 |website=TheJournal.ie |language=en |quote=TDs Clare Daly and Joan Collins are set to launch ‘United Left’ sometime in May, TheJournal.ie has learned, but many of the Dáil’s most high-profile left-wing members, including Joe Higgins and Richard Boyd-Barrett, will not be involved.}}{{Cite web |last=O’Keeffe |first=Cormac |date=2015-04-21 |title=TD, councillor face court after water meter protest |url=https://www.irishexaminer.com/news/arid-20325109.html |access-date=2024-04-13 |website=Irish Examiner |language=en |quote=Gardaí are likely to issue court summonses to United Left TD Joan Collins and party councillor Pat Dunne in relation to a water meter protest in Crumlin, south Dublin.}}

In the May 2014 local elections, People Before Profit won 14 seats including two seats outside Dublin on Sligo and Wexford County Councils.{{Cite web |last=Toner |first=Frances |date=2014-07-29 |title=People Before Profit will field Mayo candidate in next election |url=https://www.advertiser.ie/mayo/article/71276/people-before-profit-will-field-mayo-candidate-in-next-election |access-date=2024-04-13 |website=Mayo Advertiser |quote=People Before Profit is a broad alliance of left wing campaign groups and organisations and the party won 14 seats nationally in the local elections in May.}}

People Before Profit supported the successful Right2Water Ireland campaign against the introduction of water charges in Ireland, which was launched in 2014. By 2017 the scale of the campaign resulted in the suspension and ultimately the scrapping of the funding model.{{cite web|url = http://www.breakingnews.ie/ireland/water-charges-regime-to-be-officially-scrapped-today-785585.html | publisher = BreakingNews.ie | title = Water charges regime to be officially scrapped today | date = 13 April 2017 }} In the 2014 Belfast City Council election, Carroll became the first People Before Profit councillor elected in Northern Ireland, winning 3rd place in the Black Mountain DEA, with 1,691 1st Preference votes (12.1% of the vote).{{Cite news |last=Black |first=Rebecca |date=2014-08-18 |title=The Big Interview: People Before Profit's Gerry Carroll |url=https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/opinion/columnists/the-big-interview-people-before-profits-gerry-carroll/30514197.html |access-date=2024-04-13 |work=BelfastTelegraph.co.uk |language=en-GB |issn=0307-1235 |quote=Rebecca Black talks to Gerry Carroll, People Before Profit's first elected councillor in Northern Ireland, about his objective to think global, act local, and to offer people an alternative to traditional politics.}}{{Cite web |title=Belfast City Council Elections 2014 |url=https://www.ark.ac.uk/elections/nlgbcc.html#bm |access-date=2024-04-13 |website=www.ark.ac.uk |quote=Black Mountain (7 seats) .. Gerry Carroll (People Before Profit) 1,691 .. PBP 1,691 (12.1%) 1 seat}}

Discussions were held in August 2015 with the Anti-Austerity Alliance about forming a new political grouping.{{cite news|url=http://www.thejournal.ie/anti-austerity-alliance-people-before-profit-2259896-Aug2015/|title=Could we be about to get another new political group?|work=TheJournal.ie|date=8 August 2015|access-date=10 October 2015|archive-date=20 September 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150920121242/http://www.thejournal.ie/anti-austerity-alliance-people-before-profit-2259896-Aug2015/|url-status=live}} On 17 September 2015, the two parties announced they had formally registered as a single political party for electoral purposes. The new organisation was called the Anti-Austerity Alliance–People Before Profit.{{cite news |date=17 September 2015 |title=Anti Austerity Alliance and People before Profit to launch new party |url=http://www.irishtimes.com/news/politics/anti-austerity-alliance-and-people-before-profit-to-launch-new-party-1.2353674 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151010201110/http://www.irishtimes.com/news/politics/anti-austerity-alliance-and-people-before-profit-to-launch-new-party-1.2353674 |archive-date=10 October 2015 |access-date=10 October 2015 |newspaper=The Irish Times}}

At the 2016 general election, Boyd Barrett was re-elected.{{Cite web |date=2016-04-26 |title=32nd DÁIL GENERAL ELECTION - 26 February 2016 - Election Results |url=https://data.oireachtas.ie/ie/oireachtas/electoralProcess/electionResults/dail/2016/2016-04-28_32nd-dail-general-election-results_en.pdf |access-date=2024-04-13 |website=data.oireachtas.ie |pages=23, 26, 31 |quote=}}{{cite web|url=https://electionsireland.org/result.cfm?election=2016&cons=113|title=Dún Laoghaire – General Election: 26 February 2016|work=ElectionsIreland.org|access-date=1 March 2016|archive-date=4 March 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304172155/http://electionsireland.org/result.cfm?election=2016&cons=113|url-status=live}} He was joined by fellow People Before Profit candidates Gino Kenny and Bríd Smith.{{cite web|url=https://electionsireland.org/result.cfm?election=2016&cons=95|title=Dublin Mid West – General Election: 26 February 2016|work=ElectionsIreland.org|access-date=1 March 2016|archive-date=4 March 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304172343/http://electionsireland.org/result.cfm?election=2016&cons=95|url-status=live}}{{cite web|url=https://electionsireland.org/result.cfm?election=2016&cons=103|title=Dublin South Central – General Election: 26 February 2016|work=ElectionsIreland.org|access-date=1 March 2016|archive-date=5 March 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160305112732/http://electionsireland.org/result.cfm?election=2016&cons=103|url-status=live}} In May 2016, Carroll topped the poll in the Belfast West constituency at the 2016 Assembly Election with 8,299 votes (22.9%), almost 4,000 first-preference votes clear of his nearest challenger, Sinn Féin MLA Fra McCann (Sinn Féin was running five candidates).{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/politics/northern-ireland-constituencies/N06000004|title=Belfast West - Northern Ireland Assembly constituency - Election 2016|publisher=BBC News|date=6 May 2016|access-date=19 May 2016|archive-date=1 May 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160501223728/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/politics/northern-ireland-constituencies/N06000004|url-status=live}} This victory secured People Before Profit with their first elected MLA. Eamonn McCann also took a seat in the constituency of Foyle.{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/politics/northern-ireland-constituencies/N06000008 |title=Foyle - Northern Ireland Assembly constituency - Election 2016 |publisher=BBC News |date=7 May 2016 |access-date=19 May 2016 |archive-date=10 May 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160510194612/http://www.bbc.com/news/politics/northern-ireland-constituencies/N06000008 |url-status=live }} In 2017, Carroll retained his seat but with a much reduced vote (12.2%),{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/politics/northern-ireland-constituencies/N06000004 |title=Belfast West - Northern Ireland Assembly constituency - Election 2017 |publisher=BBC News |date=3 March 2017 |access-date=3 March 2017 |archive-date=4 March 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170304203002/http://www.bbc.com/news/politics/northern-ireland-constituencies/N06000004 |url-status=live }} while McCann lost his.{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/politics/northern-ireland-constituencies/N06000008 |title=Foyle - Northern Ireland Assembly constituency - Election 2017 |publisher=BBC News |date=3 March 2017 |access-date=3 March 2017 |archive-date=7 March 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170307105736/http://www.bbc.com/news/politics/northern-ireland-constituencies/N06000008 |url-status=live }}

File:Gerry Carroll 2016 (cropped).jpg has represented People Before Profit in the Northern Irish Assembly since 2016]]

In January 2019, Dublin City Councillor John Lyons resigned from the party due to disputes with the leadership.{{cite news|url=https://www.irishtimes.com/news/politics/dublin-councillor-resigns-from-people-before-profit-1.3750176|title=Dublin Councillor resigns from People before Profit|last=Power|first=Jack|newspaper=The Irish Times|date=7 January 2019|access-date=7 January 2019|archive-date=14 April 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190414030433/https://www.irishtimes.com/news/politics/dublin-councillor-resigns-from-people-before-profit-1.3750176|url-status=live}} Cllr Lyons subsequently was a leading figure in the foundation of Independent Left.{{cite web|url=https://independentleft.ie/|title=Independent Left & a Liveable City|access-date=31 May 2019|archive-date=31 May 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190531105030/https://independentleft.ie/|url-status=live}} He criticised his former party saying: "Solidarity and People Before Profit are the closest fit to us but have a hierarchical, carefully controlled internal life that is not fit for the purpose of socialist change."[https://independentleft.ie/join-independent-left/ Independent Left] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200408091902/https://independentleft.ie/join-independent-left/|date=8 April 2020}} - criticism of People Before Profit

The party gained four seats in the 2019 Northern Ireland Local Elections. People Before Profit won five council seats, three in Belfast City Council and two in Derry.{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-northern-ireland-48169406|title='Others' remain big talking point|first=Mark|last=Devenport|work=BBC News |date=5 May 2019|access-date=7 May 2019|archive-date=7 May 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190507161207/https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-northern-ireland-48169406|url-status=live}} The party stood two candidates in the 2019 United Kingdom general election, with their best performance being by Gerry Carroll in the Belfast West seat: he came second with 16%.{{cite web |url=https://electionresults.parliament.uk/election/2019-12-12/results/Location/Constituency/Belfast%20West |title=Belfast West results |last= |first= |date= |website= |publisher= |access-date=31 May 2022 |quote=}}

The party retained its three TDs in the 2020 Irish general election.{{cite news|url=https://www.irishtimes.com/news/politics/miriam-lord-all-change-in-leinster-house-following-change-election-1.4171895|title=Miriam Lord: All change in Leinster House following Change Election|newspaper=The Irish Times|date=12 February 2020|access-date=10 September 2020|archive-date=23 October 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201023213702/https://www.irishtimes.com/news/politics/miriam-lord-all-change-in-leinster-house-following-change-election-1.4171895|url-status=live}}

People Before Profit supported Debenhams Ireland workers in their 2020 industrial dispute.{{Cite web |last=Daly |first=Adam |date=2020-04-29 |title='Deceived by Debenhams': Workers urge government to save their jobs ahead of liquidation hearing |url=https://www.thejournal.ie/debenhams-protests-liquidation-5087127-Apr2020/ |access-date=2024-04-13 |website=TheJournal.ie |language=en |quote=People Before Profit TD Bríd Smith accused Debenhams of using the Covid crisis as a cover for “a smash and grab on workers’ rights”. “Many of their workers have given years and years of service and made profits for the company. The company can’t be allowed to walk away from their responsibility,” said Smith.}}{{cite web|url=https://www.pbp.ie/debenhams-workers-should-link-struggle-north-and-south/|title=Debenhams Workers Should Link Struggle North And South|publisher=People Before Profit|date=14 August 2020|access-date=10 September 2020|archive-date=1 October 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201001054308/https://www.pbp.ie/debenhams-workers-should-link-struggle-north-and-south/|url-status=live}}{{Cite web |last=Baker |first=Noel |date=2023-03-04 |title=Debenhams documentary shows workers fought harder than anyone bargained for |url=https://www.irishexaminer.com/news/munster/arid-41084986.html |archive-url=https://archive.today/20240413132358/https://www.irishexaminer.com/news/munster/arid-41084986.html#selection-1711.1-1711.646 |archive-date=2024-04-13 |access-date=2024-04-13 |website=Irish Examiner |language=en |quote=Findings from the documentary have been submitted to the Department of the Taoiseach by People Before Profit-Solidarity TD Richard Boyd Barrett.His party has a bill before the Oireachtas on the subject and both he and Fergus Dowd believe the Duffy Cahill Report — submitted to the Department of Enterprise in 2016 and described as “an expert examination of legal protections for workers with a particular focus on ways of ensuring limited liability and corporate restructuring are not used to avoid a company’s obligations to its employees” could, if it had been implemented, at least avoided some of the worst aspects of the Debenhams collapse.}}

On 28 February 2021, RISE, a democratic socialist party that had previously split from Solidarity in 2019, merged with People Before Profit. Paul Murphy became the party's 4th TD in the process. It maintains its media and functions as an internal organisation.{{Cite web|date=28 February 2021|title=Rise Joins People Before Profit|url=https://www.letusrise.ie/featured-articles/rise-joins-pbp|url-status=live|access-date=28 February 2021|archive-date=28 February 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210228183024/https://www.letusrise.ie/featured-articles/rise-joins-pbp}}

On 10 May 2021, the party announced that Dún Laoghaire–Rathdown Councillor Hugh Lewis was no longer a member of People Before Profit, "following an internal disciplinary procedure.{{Cite web|date=10 May 2021|title=A Statement Of People Before Profit|url=https://www.pbp.ie/a-statement-of-people-before-profit/|url-status=live|archive-date=9 July 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210709043909/https://www.pbp.ie/a-statement-of-people-before-profit/}}

People Before Profit retained their single seat in the 2022 Northern Ireland Assembly election.{{cite news|title=Northern Ireland Assembly Election Results 2022 |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/election/2022/northern-ireland/results |work=BBC News|access-date=31 May 2022}} They lost three of the five council seats they had had in the May 2023 Northern Ireland local elections, with 1.1% of the vote, down by 0.4 percentage points.{{cite news| title=Local election results 2023 in Northern Ireland | publisher=BBC News | url=https://www.bbc.com/news/election/2023/northern-ireland/results | access-date=21 May 2023}}

On 10 October 2024, the party announced that Richard Boyd Barrett had been selected to be the leader of the party, which before had been run as a collective leadership. The party said the reason behind selecting a leader was "offering a familiar face to identify the party with", "communicating the policies of the party in the media", and to be the spokesperson in the leaders' debates in the 2024 general election.{{cite news |last1=Hurley |first1=Sandra |title=People Before Profit select Boyd Barrett as party leader |url=https://www.rte.ie/news/politics/2024/1010/1474795-richard-boyd-barrett/ |access-date=11 October 2024 |work=RTÉ |date=10 October 2024}}

{{Trotskyism}}

People Before Profit are a Trotskyist party{{refn|

• {{cite journal |last1=Finn |first1=Daniel |date=4 August 2021 |title=The Tributary |url=https://newleftreview.org/sidecar/posts/121 |journal=New Left Review |volume= |issue= |pages= |doi= |access-date=}}
• {{cite journal |last1=Ó Dochartaigh |first1=Niall |date=3 February 2021 |title=Beyond the dominant party system: the transformation of party politics in Northern Ireland |journal=Irish Political Studies |volume=36 |issue=1 |pages=7–28 |doi= 10.1080/07907184.2021.1877897|s2cid=232272571 |quote=The exception was People Before Profit, a small all-Ireland, pro-unity, Trotskyist party that aligned with the Lexit (left-wing Brexit) position of a section of the British left.|doi-access=free }}
• {{cite journal |last1=Dunphy |first1=Richard |date=2017 |title=Beyond Nationalism? The Anti-Austerity Social Movement in Ireland |url=https://discovery.dundee.ac.uk/ws/portalfiles/portal/18634479/s1_ln27015578837028655_1939656818Hwf714326221IdV_41353096227015578PDF_HI0001.pdf |journal=Journal of Civil Society |volume=13 |issue=3 |pages=267–283 |doi=10.1080/17448689.2017.1355031 |s2cid=148867851 |access-date=7 April 2022}}
• {{cite journal |last1=Hearne |first1=Rory |date=May 2015 |title=The Irish water war |url=http://www.interfacejournal.net/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/Issue-7-1-Hearne.pdf |journal=Interface: A Journal for and About Social Movements |volume=7 |issue=1 |pages=309–321 |doi= |access-date=9 April 2022 |quote=Right2Water involves a number of small trade unions (Unite, Mandate, the Communications Worker’s Union, the CPSU and OPATSI), as well as the Left parties of Sinn Fein and the united front organisations of two Trotskyist parties (People Before Profit and the Anti Austerity Alliance), and the Workers’ Party........The ‘Campaign against the Household and Water Taxes’ involved socialists from the far left trotskyist parties}}
• {{cite book |last=M. Viola |first=Donatella |author-link= |date=21 March 2018 |title=Routledge Handbook of European Elections |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=7stgCgAAQBAJ&dq=people+before+profit+trotskyism+ireland&pg=PA243 |location= |publisher= Routledge|page=247 |isbn= 9781138597495 |quote=National Party: People before Profit Leader: Collective Leadership Seats in the Dáil in 2011: 2 Ideological orientation: Trotskyist, Marxist, radical left Political group: EUL/NGL}}
• {{cite web |url=https://hard-times-magazine.org/index.php/Hardtimes/article/download/47/38 |title=The State of the Irish Left:Half-Full and Half-Empty |last=Landy |first=David |date=January 2019 |website= |publisher= |access-date=9 April 2019 |quote=In like manner, Trotskyists still refer to themselves as revolutionaries, but winning and keeping local and parliamentary seats (and the income from these seats) has become far more central in their practices. Recently, in a perhaps unprecedented move for Trotskyist groups, the Socialist Workers Party in Ireland was swallowed up by its electoralist front, People before Profit.}}

}} committed to political agitation through working-class mass action in capitalist societies.{{cite journal |last1=Molyneux |first1=John |date=2022 |title=What Is People Before Profit? |url=https://irishmarxistreview.net/index.php/imr/article/view/448/432 |journal=Irish Marxist Review |volume=11 |issue=32 |pages=27–37 |doi= |access-date=9 April 2022}} However, People Before Profit do not accept this label, with their website stating that "Trotskyist is the Labour Party's bizarre code word for anyone with strong left-wing principles".{{cite news |last=Linehan |first=Hugh |date=4 February 2016 |title=Election Lexicon: Trotskyite |url=https://www.irishtimes.com/news/politics/election-lexicon-trotskyite-1.2523001 |work=Irish Times |location= |access-date=7 April 2022}} The party self-claims to be an eco-socialist party. It described its 2022 AGM as a "positive step forward in building a major, pluralist eco-socialist party in Ireland" and described its party programme as eco-socialist.{{cite web |url= https://rupture.ie/articles/building-ecosocialist-party |title= PBP AGM 2022: Building an ecosocialist party of struggle |date= 20 June 2022 |website= rupture.ie |publisher= Rupture |access-date= 9 September 2022}}

In the Northern Ireland Assembly, the party's assembly members sign the register as "socialist" when asked if they are "unionist" or "nationalist", resulting in an official designation of "other" in the assembly.{{Cite news |url=http://www.thejournal.ie/people-before-profit-ni-3221610-Feb2017/ |title=The 32-county People Before Profit and why it's anti-austerity and pro-Brexit |first=Rónán |last=Duffy |date=5 February 2017 |newspaper=TheJournal.ie |access-date=5 May 2021 |archive-date=19 April 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210419074429/https://www.thejournal.ie/people-before-profit-ni-3221610-Feb2017/ |url-status=live }} However the party is not neutral on constitutional matters, and are in favour of "a 32 county socialist Ireland."{{cite news |last1=McKeown |first1=Gareth |title=What the parties have said on a united Ireland |url=https://www.irishnews.com/news/2017/03/11/news/what-the-parties-have-said-on-a-united-ireland-960604/ |access-date=5 May 2021 |newspaper=The Irish News |date=11 March 2017 |archive-date=21 September 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200921170049/http://www.irishnews.com/news/2017/03/11/news/what-the-parties-have-said-on-a-united-ireland-960604/ |url-status=live }} People Before Profit support a referendum on Irish reunification.{{cite news |last=Duffy |first=Rónán |date=6 February 2020 |title=Q+A: Here's where the parties stand on a united Ireland and holding a border poll |url=https://www.thejournal.ie/united-ireland-audit-4993911-Feb2020/ |work= |location= |access-date=7 April 2022}} This is in contrast to their alliance partners Solidarity who oppose the holding of a border poll.{{cite news |last=Ryan |first=Órla |date=17 December 2016 |title=We asked every TD if they want a vote on a united Ireland, here's what they said |url=https://www.thejournal.ie/united-ireland-border-poll-3136932-Dec2016/ |work=TheJournal.ie |location= |access-date= |archive-date=11 April 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210411035632/https://www.thejournal.ie/united-ireland-border-poll-3136932-Dec2016/ |url-status=live }}

People Before Profit have supported leaving the EU{{cite web|url=http://www.irishnews.com/opinion/letterstotheeditor/2016/07/04/news/brexit-fallout-has-undermined-the-principle-of-consent-586751/|title=Brexit fallout has undermined the principle of consent|work=Irish News|date=4 July 2016|access-date=1 November 2016|archive-date=3 November 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161103234450/http://www.irishnews.com/opinion/letterstotheeditor/2016/07/04/news/brexit-fallout-has-undermined-the-principle-of-consent-586751/|url-status=live}} and campaigned for a 'Lexit' (a left-wing Brexit) in the 2016 EU referendum in Northern Ireland.{{cite web|publisher=People Before Profit Alliance|title=Lexit: why we need a left exit from the eu|url=http://www.peoplebeforeprofit.ie/2016/05/lexit-why-we-need-a-left-exit-from-eu|access-date=27 May 2016|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160521033827/http://www.peoplebeforeprofit.ie/2016/05/lexit-why-we-need-a-left-exit-from-eu/|archive-date=21 May 2016|df=dmy-all}}{{cite news |last1=Kelly |first1=Fiach |title=The Real question on the Falls Road: would Brexit help bring about a united Ireland? |url=https://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/archive/2016/0623/Pg004.html |access-date=2 May 2021 |publisher=Irish Times |date=23 June 2016 |page=4 |quote=Gerry Carroll, the newly elected People Before Profit Assembly member for the West Belfast constituency, is also campaigning for a 'Lexit' - a leftwing exit...}} Commenting on their pro-Brexit position, Gerry Carroll stated "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. 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."{{cite news |last=Duffy |first=Rónán |date=5 February 2017 |title=The 32-county People Before Profit and why it's anti-austerity and pro-Brexit |url=https://www.thejournal.ie/people-before-profit-ni-3221610-Feb2017/ |work=TheJournal.ie |location= |access-date=7 April 2022}} Members of Sinn Féin criticised this stance, saying that supporting Brexit, tactically or otherwise, aligned People Before Profit with British parties such as the Conservatives, UKIP, the Democratic Unionist Party and Traditional Unionist Voice and regardless of People Before Profit's intentions, this would serve the pro-Brexit agenda.{{cite news |last=Maskey |first=Paul |date=16 October 2018 |title=Maskey criticises PBP 'Brexit cheerleaders' |url=https://www.sinnfein.ie/contents/51272 |work= |location= |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190524202703/https://www.sinnfein.ie/contents/51272 |access-date=7 April 2022|archive-date=24 May 2019 }} In response, Richard Boyd-Barrett tried to distance PBP's position from those parties, and noted that People Before Profit opposed a hard border, and would encourage "a movement of civil disobedience to remove border posts if they are imposed by either the UK government or the EU".{{cite news |last=Kelly |first=Fiach |date=25 April 2019 |title=Tory Brexit not the same as our 'Lexit', Boyd Barrett says |url=https://www.irishtimes.com/news/politics/tory-brexit-not-the-same-as-our-lexit-boyd-barrett-says-1.3871508 |work=Irish Times |location= |access-date=7 April 2022}}

The party supports free public transport.

People Before Profit supports nationalising the "major Agri-corporations" and using them to finance a “just transition” for farmers and rural Ireland. People Before Profit also seeks to cut the national cow herd by 50% and pay farmers a green payment to offset this, provided a farmer doesn't earn more than €100,000 a year.{{cite news |last=Bray |first=Jennifer |date=29 January 2019 |title=Election 2020: People Before Profit attempt to catch green wave with manifesto |url=https://www.irishtimes.com/news/politics/election-2020-people-before-profit-attempt-to-catch-green-wave-with-manifesto-1.4155139 |work=Irish Times |location= |access-date=7 April 2022}} People Before Profit seek to create a state-owned building corporation that would be used to retrofit existing homes.

People Before Profit supports the legalisation of cannabis for medical and general use. It states that it wants to "legislate for the use of medicinal cannabis for pain management of chronic conditions" and medical cannabis be "researched and made available as an evidence-based option for health care providers and patients". It also states that it wants the "non-commercialised legalisation of cannabis to be regulated by a new state body and dispensed via designated stores".{{cite web |url= https://www.pbp.ie/policies/drugs-policy/ |title= Drugs Policy |date= 6 January 2022 |website= pbp.ie |access-date= 9 February 2022}} In November 2022, Gino Kenny introduced a bill to legalise personal usage of cannabis, and possession of up to seven grams of cannabis.{{Cite web |last=Barry |first=Aoife |title=Bill to be introduced that would legalise personal use of cannabis |url=https://www.thejournal.ie/legislation-personal-use-of-cannabis-ireland-5917349-Nov2022/ |access-date=2022-11-27 |website=TheJournal.ie |date=12 November 2022 |language=en}}

In 2023, People Before Profit published a document which said that the Irish military and police force (Garda Siochana) would commit a coup d'état on behalf of "wealthy elites" against any prospective left-wing government that formed in Ireland.{{cite news |last=O'Connell |first=Hugh |date=2 March 2023 |title=People Before Profit claims an 'elite' could use gardaí to move against any elected left-wing government |url=https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/politics/people-before-profit-claims-an-elite-could-use-gardai-to-move-against-any-elected-left-wing-government-42365976.html |work=Irish Independent |location= |access-date=2 March 2023}}

People Before Profit is opposed to NATO{{cite web |url=https://www.pbp.ie/policies/war-and-conflict-policy/ |title=War and Conflict Policy |last= |first= |date= |website= |publisher=People before Profit |access-date= |quote=We defend Irish neutrality; oppose NATO and the military use of Shannon, and all Irish participation in the international arms trade}}{{cite news |last=O’Connor |first=Niall |date=30 November 2022 |title=PBP writes to Ceann Comhairle as Taoiseach defends 'Puppets for Putin' remark |url=https://www.thejournal.ie/nato-irish-defence-forces-5933546-Nov2022/ |work=TheJournal.ie |location= |access-date=27 February 2023}} and support Irish neutrality.{{cite news |last=Bray |first=Jennifer |date=6 April 2022 |title=People Before Profit TDs defend decision not to clap for Zelenskiy Oireachtas address |url=https://www.irishtimes.com/news/ireland/irish-news/people-before-profit-tds-defend-decision-not-to-clap-for-zelenskiy-oireachtas-address-1.4846069 |work=Irish Times |location= |access-date=7 April 2022}}{{cite news |last=Loughlin |first=Elaine |date=6 April 2022 |title=People Before Profit TDs explain refusal to applaud President Zelenskyy's Dáil address |url=https://www.irishexaminer.com/news/politics/arid-40845596.html |work=Irish Examiner |location= |access-date=7 April 2022}} They have said that "the role of NATO expansion and the role of further potential NATO aggression" are partly to blame for the Russian invasion of Ukraine, which they consider "a conflict between two reactionary imperialist blocs",{{cite news |title=Belfast council voices opposition to Ukraine invasion, as People Before Profit hit out at 'Nato expansion' |url=https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/northern-ireland/belfast-council-voices-opposition-to-ukraine-invasion-as-people-before-profit-hit-out-at-nato-expansion/41401219.html |work=Belfast Telegraph |date=1 March 2022}} and accuse NATO of escalating the war "to the terrifying possibility that we could have a nuclear situation".{{cite news |title=Micheál Martin defends plan to help train Ukrainian troops |url=https://www.irishtimes.com/politics/oireachtas/2023/02/23/dail-live-micheal-martin-defends-plan-to-help-train-ukrainian-troops/ |agency=Irish Times}} PBP have condemned the invasion as "barbaric" and have supported taking in Ukrainian refugees.{{cite news |title=Opposition calls for expulsion of Russian ambassador to Ireland |url=https://www.irishtimes.com/news/politics/oireachtas/opposition-calls-for-expulsion-of-russian-ambassador-to-ireland-1.4846128 |newspaper=The Irish Times |date=6 April 2022}}

People Before Profit call for sanctions against Israel and support the Palestinian-led movement Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS).{{cite web |url=https://www.pbp.ie/free-palestine-ireland-must-lead-on-bds/ |title=Free Palestine! Ireland Must Lead On Bds |last= |first= |date=24 May 2021 |website= |publisher= |access-date=31 May 2022 |quote=}} They have called for "a comprehensive package of economic, political and cultural sanctions against Israel for war crimes, ethnic cleansing and the crime of apartheid".{{cite news |last=Burne |first=Louise |date=7 April 2022 |title='Embarrassing' People Before Profit accused of glaring contradiction on Ukraine |url=https://extra.ie/2022/04/07/news/people-before-profit-ukraine |work=Extra.ie |location= |access-date=31 May 2022}}

People Before Profit oppose sanctions against Russia for its invasion of Ukraine. Paul Murphy said they stand with Ukrainians "in their struggle against the Russian imperialist invasion", but said sanctions "are hurting ordinary Russians and are only bolstering the Putin regime". Simon Coveney and Neale Richmond of Fine Gael have suggested it is contradictory for PBP to support sanctions against Israel but not against Russia. Murphy responded "You have a call for [sanctions] coming from ordinary Palestinians, including Palestinians who live within the state of Israel and suffer apartheid".{{cite news |last=Ryan |first=Órla |date=6 April 2022 |title=People Before Profit TDs didn't clap Zelenskyy's speech in protest over sanctions |url=https://www.thejournal.ie/people-before-profit-zelenskyy-speech-5731397-Apr2022/ |work=TheJournal.ie |location= |access-date=31 May 2022}} Although supporting Ukrainian resistance, PBP oppose sending weaponry{{cite news |title=Arming Ukraine is not the answer, says People Before Profit TD Richard Boyd Barrett |url=https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/arming-ukraine-is-not-the-answer-says-people-before-profit-td-richard-boyd-barrett/41398605.html |work=Irish Independent |date=1 March 2022}} or giving weapons training to the Ukrainian military.{{cite news |title=Neutrality activists criticise use of Defence Forces to give weapons training to Ukrainian army |url=https://www.thejournal.ie/ukraine-army-training-irish-defence-forces-neutrality-6146360-Aug2023/ |work=TheJournal.ie |date=18 August 2023}}

File:PBP logo with slogan.svg

People Before Profit have only contested European elections in the Republic of Ireland.

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