People Before Profit Hit Out At Sinn Fein Amid Brexit Row

Political organisation People Before Profit (PBP) has slammed Sinn Fein for what they believe was an attempt "to equate the socialist politics of People Before profit with the politics of the DUP…and the Tories".

Both the DUP and Sinn Fein have engaged in a war of words over Brexit in recent days, and PBP are condemning a poster in west Belfast that blames them for the possibility of a hard border.

The poster was erected outside the office of MLA Gerry Carroll and is not marked in Sinn Fein branding. It reads: "Brexit Hard Border- brought to you by Tories, DUP, UUP, People Before Profit."

While PBP did campaign in favour of Brexit, their party stance is to "reject all moves to re-create a hard border".

The DUP also campaigned in favour of Brexit, while the UUP campaigned against it.

Mr Carroll said: "Truth be told, PBP has always been opposed to partition in Ireland and we are for open borders."

He claimed that Sinn Fein were attempting to distort his party's position ahead of reentering Stormont with the DUP.

PBP are the only party that are "demanding Leo Varadkar uses the Irish government's veto on a Brexit deal which includes a hard border- Sinn Fein are not", according to Mr Caroll.

Sinn Fein MP Paul Maskey did not confirm in his statement whether or not the poster belonged to Sinn Fein. He said: "The people of the north voted to remain in the EU and that vote should be respected by the British Tory party and by Gerry Carroll's People Before Profit.

"Gerry Carroll is desperate to try to distance himself from the fact that People Before Profit campaigned for Brexit, voted for Brexit and acted as a cheerleader for Brexit."

(JG)