Westminster Life: Fed up of nuisance fireworks

Britain has become a tinderbox and as Holme Fen shows wildfires can last a long time, writes Andrew Pakes MP.

It’s been the hottest summer on record and even with rain forecast over the coming days it is not going to make up for the lack of water in recent months. Here in Peterborough, firefighters have now spent a second week tackling the peatland blaze at Holme Fen, with mutual aid drawn in from as far away as Merseyside. I won't repeat everything I said last week about their incredible bravery, except to add my thanks to residents and local businesses who have kept them fed and watered throughout.

I don’t know about you, though, but I am fed up of nuisance fireworks going off at all hours of the day in many parts of the city. This isn’t new in Peterborough, but it is even more dangerous in the hot, dry weather. Many of you have been in contact with me about reckless behaviour of some people letting off fireworks without a thought for the risks.

I am pleased that the recent phone alert we all received highlighted the risks of fireworks and fires in open spaces. We need to take the advice of the fire service seriously.

I’ve been campaigning against nuisance fireworks long before this heatwave. Hundreds of you responded to my survey on nuisance fireworks, describing explosions at midnight, frightened pets and unsettled veterans. I've worked with the RSPCA to push for the legal noise limit to be reduced, co-sponsored a cross-party Fireworks Bill in the Commons, and written repeatedly to ministers. In July, that pressure paid off, with the government opening a consultation on the rules around fireworks. It is running until Wednesday 7 October, so if you've been affected this is your chance to make your voice heard.

Change is so important, but it takes time to bite, and right now we can't wait. This week I joined Sam Carling MP and council leader Shabina Qayyum in drafting an open letter warning that in these tinder-dry conditions a single firework is no longer just a nuisance; it is a threat to public safety.

I have asked the government and council to do more to end this fire risk and nuisance. Some places use a Public Spaces Protection Order to ban the use of fireworks in public places unless they are licensed. I think it is time to look at that in Peterborough. At the very least we need a plan for hot weather next year to give police and enforcement officers a real tool against the reckless few who endanger us all. I’ve written to the Minister asking them to look again at the rules and to see if we can go further.

This heatwave will break eventually. Until it does, please stay alert: no fires in the open, no fireworks, and if you see smoke, ring 999 straight away. We look out for each other in this city, and that's exactly what these next few weeks demand.