Banning Fireworks Debate House of Commons 28 January 2018

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Judgemental

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A petition to ban fireworks has reached the prerequisite number, triggering a debate in the House of Commons on 28 January 2018.

In order to bring this subject home to all MPs, individual emails and letters need to be generated.

Fireworks and their use are completely out of hand and are being 'let off' in the most irresponsible manner and in places around livestock. Notwithstanding the fires that are caused.

It's absurd that what was a celebration of thwarting, the so called gun powder plot of 5 November 1605 has morphed in a wholesale annoyance and physical risk.

So much so, fireworks are now let off throughout the year!

1605 - ridiculious
 
Excellent news. We’ve had fireworks most nights. I can’t understand how huge deafening display fireworks can be sold for use in tiny gardens.
 
About time they were available for organized displays only. We had bad experience last year, not Guy Falk's but neighbours having party. The fire works were going off over our youngsters stable. He was totally frantic throwing himself off the walls. Fortunately he was unharmed, but stressed.
I could not believe how inconsiderate they were as they are surrounded by properties with horses.
We had no prior notice, and dread to think what would have happened if we were not home.
Dreading new years eve!
 
Are you asking us to email or write to our MPs to make sure they have something to say on the subject?

I'm concerned that the debate has little hope of success. In a perfect world I don't think these explosives should be sold to individuals and they should only be available to people running organised, council agreed, displays because I'm utterly fed up of the 3 or 4 week period every year where fireworks are being let off every single night and during the day. But there's no way the Government is going to ban them because you'd have to ban the whole lot, sparklers, small family friendly kits of fireworks as well as the noisy explosive rockets.

So maybe we ask for a compromise? I'd like to see a change which only allows the sale of quiet fireworks to individuals. There is no need for the huge, surprising, terrifying bangs. you can still have pretty without terrifying all local people & animals. Lets have a noise limit on any fireworks sold to individuals without an explosives licence.
 
OrangeAndLemon said:
Are you asking us to email or write to our MPs to make sure they have something to say on the subject?

I'm concerned that the debate has little hope of success. In a perfect world I don't think these explosives should be sold to individuals and they should only be available to people running organised, council agreed, displays because I'm utterly fed up of the 3 or 4 week period every year where fireworks are being let off every single night and during the day. But there's no way the Government is going to ban them because you'd have to ban the whole lot, sparklers, small family friendly kits of fireworks as well as the noisy explosive rockets.

So maybe we ask for a compromise? I'd like to see a change which only allows the sale of quiet fireworks to individuals. There is no need for the huge, surprising, terrifying bangs. you can still have pretty without terrifying all local people & animals. Lets have a noise limit on any fireworks sold to individuals without an explosives licence.
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MP assess the level of constituency concern on any subject, by the volume of their mail box, or latterly the number of emails.

When it comes to a vote in the House of Commons the result will likely be the level of support the MPs distill from their constituents views.

Hopefully there will be a three line government whip in the subject.
 
Judgemental said:
MP assess the level of constituency concern on any subject, by the volume of their mail box, or latterly the number of emails.

When it comes to a vote in the House of Commons the result will likely be the level of support the MPs distill from their constituents views.

Hopefully there will be a three line government whip in the subject.
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then I shall get writing :)

Thank you
 
Good news :)
I'll write an email this evening. My three were all OK this year shut inside their stables in the barn and our neighbours did let us know that they were letting them off but there were 7 other displays in the immediate vicinity the same night, none of whom notified anyone, and I could hear other horses who's owners have no stables thundering around. I really felt for them :(
 
I wouldn't actually mind if it was just one night but they start aroubd here mid October and go on until New Years eve, it drives me mad. This year has been particularly bad and my poor dog is completely traumatised by the whole thing. The horses on the whole cope very well but I will be contacting my MP.
 
We have had fireworks banned in Ireland for quite some time and to be brutally honest, it makes no difference. Its impossible to enforce. Although with the border to northern Ireland so easy to get across, it means that fireworks are quite easily imported. We don't celebrate Guy Fawkes here, but Halloween is a nightmare for animal owners and plenty of animal cruelty cases relating to fireworks start hitting the newspapers.

So yes, UK, please please do ban them, stop the easy flow to Ireland, where they are already illegal.
 
I have signed petitions about this and will also write to my MP. I would like fireworks to be restricted to public organised displays only and the noise levels reduced. They cause so much distress, nuisance, litter and injury, I just don't get why people still want to see them.

We actually had noticeably less around us this year. Whether its because people are saving money or whether word is eventually getting around to people about the harm they do, I don't know but I hope so.
 
It just baffles me that you are allowed to sell what is essentially an explosive to any person that rocks up!

At the display where I live it is held within a park. Loads of people go and stand on the boundary outside the park to watch. This year some wise guy member of the public let off a massive firework into the crowd outside. A lady suffered injuries but fortunately it was just bruising rather than anything more severe.

We had fireworks for about 2 weeks around Guy Fawkes night. Fortunately our dog isn't scared of them, rather, he wants to go outside to investigate!
 
Their sale to the public could involve a delivery service. They get delivered on the 5th (signed for by an adult), and then someone comes round to pick up the spent shells (or unexploded items) the next day. This would make them more expensive, of course. Huge fines for anyone caught in possession or setting them off on other days.
 
fburton said:
I feel strongly about this issue. However, I live in Scotland. Is it worth contacting my local MP?
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I would have thought any MP whether Conservative, SNP or Labour depending upon in which Constituency you live, will welcome your views.

Judging from the few comments already posted on this thread and other equestrian sites, the issue is of considerable concern.

I note from another poster, that fireworks are banned in the Republic of Ireland. Did a quick search of Google as to the reasons, which appear to revolve around wholly irresponsible conduct and use.

Of course with the outstanding quality of horses and breeding horses in Ireland, I wonder if that also influenced the Doyle in Dublin, recognising the intrinsic value to the economy.
 
I have signed the petition but was really disappointed with the Governments view on fireworks and how they don't seem to see a problem or if there is a problem it is really such a minor one........

I won't post a link as I will upset some people but in Wales a woman stayed with her horse on bonfire night and stabled her horse, the following weekend she had no idea a big display was being held locally and the poor horse ended up dead, she has posted photo's and is desperate to raise awareness
 
I think they were worse this year because Diwali was a week or two before Guy Fawkes' night. We have so many different celebrations these days which involve fireworks, I don't think they will ever be banned outright. I would be happy with an "organised display or not at all" approach, though this would be almost impossible to enforce.
 
Cecile said:
I have signed the petition but was really disappointed with the Governments view on fireworks and how they don't seem to see a problem or if there is a problem it is really such a minor one........

I won't post a link as I will upset some people but in Wales a woman stayed with her horse on bonfire night and stabled her horse, the following weekend she had no idea a big display was being held locally and the poor horse ended up dead, she has posted photo's and is desperate to raise awareness
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That Cecile is why I strongly suggest everybody writes to their MP and also try and attend their MP's surgery, explaining the issue.

The trouble with our representatives in Parliament, is that the majority have little or no knowledge of 'hands-on' experience, involving horses or indeed livestock generally. Or indeed a modicum of practical agriculture!
 
Judgemental said:
That Cecile is why I strongly suggest everybody writes to their MP and also try and attend their MP's surgery, explaining the issue.

The trouble with our representatives in Parliament, is that the majority have little or no knowledge of 'hands-on' experience, involving horses or indeed livestock generally. Or indeed a modicum of practical agriculture!
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I've spoken to a few people who signed the petition and asked them to now email to their MP. I think we all need to put this on Facebook, Twitter, everything else and get the message out there. The Government need to see their response is inadequate.
 
Judgemental said:
That Cecile is why I strongly suggest everybody writes to their MP and also try and attend their MP's surgery, explaining the issue.

The trouble with our representatives in Parliament, is that the majority have little or no knowledge of 'hands-on' experience, involving horses or indeed livestock generally. Or indeed a modicum of practical agriculture!
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Best time to lobby them and also really bombard them with letters prior to the 28th January, they may just wake up and listen
 
Just had an email back from my MP, James Frith, who says he will not support this because he enjoys having fireworks parties in his backyard and he knows other families who feel the same. He also said the requests were not enforceable because councils are overstretched and under funded.

Disappointed.
 
OrangeAndLemon said:
Just had an email back from my MP, James Frith, who says he will not support this because he enjoys having fireworks parties in his backyard and he knows other families who feel the same. He also said the requests were not enforceable because councils are overstretched and under funded.

Disappointed.
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Not really surprising.
 
OrangeAndLemon said:
Just had an email back from my MP, James Frith, who says he will not support this because he enjoys having fireworks parties in his backyard and he knows other families who feel the same. He also said the requests were not enforceable because councils are overstretched and under funded.

Disappointed.
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What an arrogant reply. It's not about enforcing, it's about banning the sale altogether, what's it got to do with local enforcement? How much resource will it need? A ban is a ban.
 
OrangeAndLemon said:
Just had an email back from my MP, James Frith, who says he will not support this because he enjoys having fireworks parties in his backyard and he knows other families who feel the same. He also said the requests were not enforceable because councils are overstretched and under funded.

Disappointed.
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Perhaps you should email him back and remind him that he is supposed to be representing the views of his constituants rather than his own views ....
 
I did! He said he'd bring it up in the next council meeting

This morning I was woken at 4.30am by a huge explosion followed by a good few mins of fireworks. I posted on facebook about it and it seems half the town was woken by it.
 
Why is littering an offence but not fireworks or sky lanterns?? You don't know where it's going, it's more dangerous than littering and it's basically torchpaper waiting for an opportunity to cause a fire somewhere.
 
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