People Before Profit Alliance
Encyclopedia
The People Before Profit Alliance (PBPA) is an Irish
political party formed in October 2005. It is active in both the Republic of Ireland
and Northern Ireland
.
. The Community & Workers Action Group of south Dublin (CWAG) joined the Alliance in 2007 and brought along the party's first elected representative, Joan Collins, anti-bin tax campaigner and a former member of the Socialist Party
. At present, it is a broad left
alliance that seeks to gather support against neoliberalism
, war
, and pursues other left-wing
issues, but does not require members to be Marxists or to subscribe to a revolutionary socialist programme.
, a member of the Socialist Workers Party
and the candidate in the Dun Laoghaire constituency
, missing a seat on the 10th and final count by 7,890 votes to 9,910. Some of its general election candidates in 2007 previously ran as SWP candidates (another, Rory Hearne was an elected President of the University of Dublin
(Trinity College Dublin) Students' Union and was a member of the SWP at the time but no longer is). They include Gino Kenny, Brid Smith and Richard Boyd Barrett
.
The Alliance launched a No to the Lisbon Treaty Campaign in May 2008.
In the 2009 Republic of Ireland local elections
the Alliance ran twelve candidates, ten in County Dublin , and secured five seats in three out of four of Dublin's councils. As well as ten members of the SWP, the Alliance ran Joan Collins and Pat Dunne of the CWAG in Dublin, and Donnie Fell (a former Waterford Crystal
worker and trade union representative) in Waterford.
In the February 2011 general election in the Republic of Ireland, both Richard Boyd Barrett
and Joan Collins were elected as TDs (deputies) to the Dáil Éireann
running under a joint People Before Profit and United Left Alliance
banner.
, polling 774 first preferences in the Belfast West constituency
. He successfully gained the right to stand in an election by threatening to take the then Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
, Peter Hain
, to court if the legal loophole preventing him from doing so was enforced. (England, Scotland and Wales had secured the right to contest candidates under the age of 20, providing they were over 18, for constituencies for devolved government, whereas Northern Ireland had been simply excluded).
The Alliance 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. Its most successful candidate in this election was Eamonn McCann
, who won 3,120 first-preference votes, or 8% of the total, in Foyle
.
In the June 2011 Belfast West by-election
, Gerry Carroll won 1,751 votes (7.6%), coming in third place.
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
political party formed in October 2005. It is active in both the Republic of Ireland
Republic of Ireland
Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...
and Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
.
Overview
It was established by the Socialist Workers PartySocialist Workers Party (Ireland)
The Socialist Workers Party is an Irish Trotskyist political party.-Foundation and growth:The SWP was originally founded in 1971 as the Socialist Workers Movement by supporters of the International Socialists of Britain living in Northern Ireland, who had previously been members of People's...
. The Community & Workers Action Group of south Dublin (CWAG) joined the Alliance in 2007 and brought along the party's first elected representative, Joan Collins, anti-bin tax campaigner and a former member of the Socialist Party
Socialist Party (Ireland)
The Socialist Party is a socialist political party active in Ireland. It is a member of the Committee for a Workers' International .Formerly known as Militant Tendency, then Militant Labour, it adopted the name The Socialist Party in 1996. From their foundation in 1972 until the 1980s, members of...
. At present, it is a broad left
Left-wing politics
In politics, Left, left-wing and leftist generally refer to support for social change to create a more egalitarian society...
alliance that seeks to gather support against neoliberalism
Neoliberalism
Neoliberalism is a market-driven approach to economic and social policy based on neoclassical theories of economics that emphasizes the efficiency of private enterprise, liberalized trade and relatively open markets, and therefore seeks to maximize the role of the private sector in determining the...
, war
War
War is a state of organized, armed, and often prolonged conflict carried on between states, nations, or other parties typified by extreme aggression, social disruption, and usually high mortality. War should be understood as an actual, intentional and widespread armed conflict between political...
, and pursues other left-wing
Left-wing politics
In politics, Left, left-wing and leftist generally refer to support for social change to create a more egalitarian society...
issues, but does not require members to be Marxists or to subscribe to a revolutionary socialist programme.
Republic of Ireland
The Alliance contested several constituencies in the 2007 Irish general election, polling around 9,000 first preferences, with Richard Boyd BarrettRichard Boyd Barrett
Richard Boyd Barrett is an Irish politician who is currently a Teachta Dála for the Dún Laoghaire constituency.Boyd Barrett is a former member of Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council, and chair of the Irish Anti-War Movement and is frequently cited in the Irish media...
, a member of the Socialist Workers Party
Socialist Workers Party (Ireland)
The Socialist Workers Party is an Irish Trotskyist political party.-Foundation and growth:The SWP was originally founded in 1971 as the Socialist Workers Movement by supporters of the International Socialists of Britain living in Northern Ireland, who had previously been members of People's...
and the candidate in the Dun Laoghaire constituency
Dún Laoghaire (Dáil Éireann constituency)
Dún Laoghaire is a parliamentary constituency represented in Dáil Éireann, the lower house of the Irish parliament or Oireachtas. The constituency elects 4 deputies...
, missing a seat on the 10th and final count by 7,890 votes to 9,910. Some of its general election candidates in 2007 previously ran as SWP candidates (another, Rory Hearne was an elected President of the University of Dublin
University of Dublin
The University of Dublin , corporately designated the Chancellor, Doctors and Masters of the University of Dublin , located in Dublin, Ireland, was effectively founded when in 1592 Queen Elizabeth I issued a charter for Trinity College, Dublin, as "the mother of a university" – this date making it...
(Trinity College Dublin) Students' Union and was a member of the SWP at the time but no longer is). They include Gino Kenny, Brid Smith and Richard Boyd Barrett
Richard Boyd Barrett
Richard Boyd Barrett is an Irish politician who is currently a Teachta Dála for the Dún Laoghaire constituency.Boyd Barrett is a former member of Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council, and chair of the Irish Anti-War Movement and is frequently cited in the Irish media...
.
The Alliance launched a No to the Lisbon Treaty Campaign in May 2008.
In the 2009 Republic of Ireland local elections
Irish local elections, 2009
The 2009 Irish local elections were held in all the counties, cities and towns of Ireland on Friday, 5 June 2009, on the same day as the European Parliament election and two by-elections .-Overview:...
the Alliance ran twelve candidates, ten in County Dublin , and secured five seats in three out of four of Dublin's councils. As well as ten members of the SWP, the Alliance ran Joan Collins and Pat Dunne of the CWAG in Dublin, and Donnie Fell (a former Waterford Crystal
Waterford Crystal
Waterford Crystal is a trademark brand of crystal glassware, previously produced in Waterford, Ireland, though the factory there was shut down after the receivership of Waterford Wedgwood plc in early 2009...
worker and trade union representative) in Waterford.
In the February 2011 general election in the Republic of Ireland, both Richard Boyd Barrett
Richard Boyd Barrett
Richard Boyd Barrett is an Irish politician who is currently a Teachta Dála for the Dún Laoghaire constituency.Boyd Barrett is a former member of Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council, and chair of the Irish Anti-War Movement and is frequently cited in the Irish media...
and Joan Collins were elected as TDs (deputies) to the Dáil Éireann
Dáil Éireann
Dáil Éireann is the lower house, but principal chamber, of the Oireachtas , which also includes the President of Ireland and Seanad Éireann . It is directly elected at least once in every five years under the system of proportional representation by means of the single transferable vote...
running under a joint People Before Profit and United Left Alliance
United Left Alliance
The United Left Alliance is an electoral alliance of left-wing political parties and independent politicians in the Republic of Ireland, formed to contest the 2011 general election...
banner.
Northern Ireland
People Before Profit unsuccessfully ran one candidate, Sean Mitchell, in the 2007 Northern Ireland Assembly electionNorthern Ireland Assembly election, 2007
The third elections to the Northern Ireland Assembly were held on 7 March 2007 when 108 new members were elected. The election saw endorsement of the St Andrews Agreement and the two largest parties, the Democratic Unionist Party and Sinn Féin, along with the Alliance Party, increase their...
, polling 774 first preferences in the Belfast West constituency
Belfast West (Assembly constituency)
Belfast West is a constituency in the Northern Ireland Assembly.The seat was first used for a Northern Ireland-only election for the Northern Ireland Assembly, 1973...
. He successfully gained the right to stand in an election by threatening to take the then Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, informally the Northern Ireland Secretary, is the principal secretary of state in the government of the United Kingdom with responsibilities for Northern Ireland. The Secretary of State is a Minister of the Crown who is accountable to the Parliament of...
, Peter Hain
Peter Hain
Peter Gerald Hain is a British Labour Party politician, who has been the Member of Parliament for the Welsh constituency of Neath since 1991, and has served in the Cabinets of both Tony Blair and Gordon Brown, firstly as Leader of the House of Commons under Blair and both Secretary of State for...
, to court if the legal loophole preventing him from doing so was enforced. (England, Scotland and Wales had secured the right to contest candidates under the age of 20, providing they were over 18, for constituencies for devolved government, whereas Northern Ireland had been simply excluded).
The Alliance 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. Its most successful candidate in this election was Eamonn McCann
Eamonn McCann
Eamonn McCann is an Irish journalist, author and political activist.-Life:McCann was born and has lived most of his life in Derry. He was educated at St. Columb's College in the city. He is prominently featured in the documentary film The Boys of St...
, who won 3,120 first-preference votes, or 8% of the total, in Foyle
Foyle (Assembly constituency)
Foyle is a constituency in the Northern Ireland Assembly.The seat was first used for a Northern Ireland-only election for the Northern Ireland Forum in 1996. Since 1998, it has elected members to the current Assembly....
.
In the June 2011 Belfast West by-election
Belfast West by-election, 2011
The Belfast West by-election, 2011 was a by-election for the United Kingdom constituency of Belfast West following the resignation of the constituency's Member of Parliament, Gerry Adams...
, Gerry Carroll won 1,751 votes (7.6%), coming in third place.
TDs
- Joan Collins, TD – Dublin South CentralDublin South Central (Dáil Éireann constituency)Dublin South–Central is a parliamentary constituency represented in Dáil Éireann, the lower house of the Irish parliament or Oireachtas. The constituency elects 5 deputies...
- Richard Boyd BarrettRichard Boyd BarrettRichard Boyd Barrett is an Irish politician who is currently a Teachta Dála for the Dún Laoghaire constituency.Boyd Barrett is a former member of Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council, and chair of the Irish Anti-War Movement and is frequently cited in the Irish media...
, TD – Dún LaoghaireDún Laoghaire (Dáil Éireann constituency)Dún Laoghaire is a parliamentary constituency represented in Dáil Éireann, the lower house of the Irish parliament or Oireachtas. The constituency elects 4 deputies...
Councillors
- Cllr Pat Dunne – Crumlin/Kimmage, Dublin City CouncilDublin City CouncilDublin City Council is the local authority for the city of Dublin in Ireland. It has 52 members and is the largest local authority in Ireland. Until 2001, it was known as Dublin Corporation.-Legal status:...
(Co-opted in place of Joan Collins on her election to the Dáil) - Cllr Melisa Halpin – Dún Laoghaire, Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County CouncilDún Laoghaire-Rathdown County CouncilDún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council is the local authority for the county of Dún Laoghaire–Rathdown in Ireland. It is one of three local authorities that comprised the former Dublin County Council before its abolition and one of four councils in the Dublin Region. It serves a population of...
(Co-opted in place of Richard Boyd Barrett on his election to the Dáil) - Cllr Hugh Lewis – Ballybrack, Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council
- Cllr Gino Kenny – Clondalkin, South Dublin County CouncilSouth Dublin County CouncilSouth Dublin County Council is the local authority for the county of South Dublin in Ireland. It is one of three local authorities that comprised the former Dublin County Council before its abolition, and one of four councils in the Dublin Region...
- Cllr Brid Smith – Ballyfermot/Drimnagh, Dublin City Council