People Before Profit vows to 'block rates hikes' ahead of council elections

People Before Profit has asked voters to "strike back at the ballot box" in the upcoming local government elections in May.

The party's manifesto is calling for an increase in workers' wages to counter the impact of the cost of living crisis, as well as a "radical change" to how the rate system is run in Northern Ireland.

The party says it has "consistently fought for working class communities" and is "fighting for a radically different kind of politics".

Speaking at People Before Profit's manifesto launch in Belfast, Councillor Fiona Ferguson told UTV: "There's a cost of living crisis, wages aren't going up, benefits aren't going up but on our local councils you're expected to pay more rates. They're putting through price hikes, they're reducing services. We don't think it's acceptable.

"We are inspired by the workers who are standing on pickets and fighting back and we're asking people to 'strike back' at the ballot box."

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