On the night of the 28th of October 2021, two teenagers headed into a local shop selling fireworks. They told the store owner “People are going to be terrorised tonight” then asked, “Which are the good ones to let off at people?” The owner did not refuse them service for saying this, nor did he check the age of the two teens. If he had, he would have discovered that one was underage.
Later that evening the two boys would stuff a lit firework into the letterbox of 88-year-old Josephine Smith starting a fire which ultimately killed her. It was a petition brought by her son, Alan, and a second petition by Chloe Brindley, signed by a combined 125,000 signatories that I was privileged to open in the recent Westminster Hall debate.
The case of Josephine Smith is thankfully rare, but across the country thousands of hardworking families are impacted by the illegal and anti-social use of fireworks. Working parents are given sleepless nights by fireworks being set off late into the night and often for nights on end. Pets are terrified, wildlife severely impacted, and we have heard of livestock stampeding causing self-injury and damage. Our veterans, particularly those suffering with PTSD and high anxiety, are also hugely impacted.
Data shows that 113 people per year spend an average of 2 days in hospital as a result of fireworks. Fireworks are also used as tools to commit other crimes. They signal the activities of drug dealers, something I raised in Parliament back in 2021. They are used as weapons between gangs, against emergency services, and as anti-social tools in the street. If any other item was used in this way, such as knives, there would be outrage, yet for many lawmakers this issue has gone completely under the radar.
For those communities blighted by unacceptable use of fireworks action must be taken. Except on certain nights, setting off a firework after 11pm is an illegal act, however the Police struggle to enforce a law that can be broken in seconds and leaves little evidence in its wake.
Therefore, I believe, like the petitioners I represented, that tougher law around the sale and use of fireworks is needed. This could take a number of forms, including a permit system, sale only to official events, or stronger sound and size limits. Councils could also be given stronger enforcement and restrictive powers.
The recent debate was the not the first, indeed I have spoken in debates many times on this issue, yet progress from Government has been slow. I am optimistic this is now changing. In the debate members from both sides of the house were united in the view that doing nothing is not an option, and I was pleased that both Shadow and Government ministers were sympathetic to the plight of our many constituents.
What must come now is serious research, using the powers of Government, to determine the right measures to cut down on nuisance fireworks without driving the trade underground.
Many people reading this may be slightly confused about why so many are so concerned about fireworks. For most, fireworks are an annual event, a bit of fun on bonfire night or New Year’s Eve. But for my constituents in Keighley and Ilkley and for thousands of other people across the country, fireworks are a daily occurrence, often for months at a time. The whole sky is lit up with hundreds per night, until the very early hours.
There is no where to hide, and no way to soothe terrified pets or children. Those with sensory disabilities are disorientated and those with PTSD are impacted. No one wants to take away the fun of good-natured fireworks, but when fireworks use gets out of control, we must act in the interests of those affected.
Changes to the law will take time, and it is only right that any changes are considered carefully, but in the meantime, we must see improved support for our Police and local councils. As in the case of Josephine Smith, laws were broken before a firework was even purchased, and if we are to prevent cases such as hers in the future, we must properly resource and enforce our existing regulations.
When fireworks use gets out of control, we must act in the interests of those affected
