"People are going to get terrorised tonight - what are the good ones to let off at people?"
This is what a teenager asked a shopkeeper running a fireworks store on the night of 28 October 2021.
Later, the 18-year-old and an accomplice, aged 15, stuffed a lit firework through the letterbox of 88-year-old Josephine Smith's home in Romford, starting a fire that killed her. The pair were sentenced to a combined 10 years jail term in 2023.
One year on, Josephine’s son, Alan, started a petition to Parliament calling for changes to fireworks laws which has now garnered over 50,000 signatures.
And this week (Monday 9 December), Keighley and Ilkley’s Member of Parliament Robbie Moore led the calls for change during an emotional debate on the petition in Parliament.
The local MP argued that fireworks are being used to ’terrorise’ neighbourhoods across Keighley, the Bradford District and the United Kingdom, calling for urgent changes in legislation.
Mr Moore, who was asked to lead the debate by the Petitions Committee, met with petitioner Alan Smith, the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA), Anxiety UK, Veterans organisation Help for Heroes, and representatives from The Firework Campaign last week to prepare for the debate.
Speaking in Parliament, Mr Moore outlined the broader impacts of fireworks, including noise distress for veterans with PTSD, sensory distress for individuals with processing disorders, and the terror faced by animals:
“The loud bangs and flashes of fireworks, when in excess, can make the surrounding area feel like a warzone. In Keighley, which I am proud to represent, fireworks are used throughout the year, and often throughout the night, there are times when the whole sky is lit up with the constant thunder of fireworks.”
He pointed to alarming reports of firework misuse across the Bradford district, with stockpiling and illegal sales becoming increasingly common.
Calling for immediate government action, Mr Moore supported further regulation, including tighter licensing and enforcement at the point of sale to prevent misuse and measures proposed in the Fireworks Bill 2024 introduced by Sarah Owen MP for Luton South.
“If a ban or restrictions are necessary it will take time to implement, and therefore I believe we must also take immediate action. Local councils must be supported to deliver proper enforcement immediately, as must the police to tackle those using fireworks illegally. There is no point having regulations and laws in place if they are not enforced. And what’s more there is nothing to stop the Government from delivering this support now.”
The local MP also called on the government to deliver a full policy review and provide resources for police and councils to enforce existing laws effectively.
“We cannot continue to ignore the growing public demand for change,” he said.
Following the debate, Mr Moore said:
“I hope today’s debate marks the beginning of real change on fireworks laws. Fireworks bring joy to many, but their misuse has devastating effects. They disturb the peace of entire neighbourhoods, terrify pets, and leave vulnerable people trapped in their own homes.
We’ve seen this firsthand across Keighley and Ilkley in the Bradford District, where every year I hear terrible stories about fireworks being used antisocially outside of regulated events, throughout the year, at all times of the night, to terrorise the community. I am grateful to the petitioners and campaigners who I have met who are working tirelessly to bring about real change. The government owes it to the public to listen and finally take real action to prevent further tragedies.”
