Guy Fawkes night, also known as Bonfire Night and Fireworks Night has been marked on the 5th November in Britain for over 400 years – it is part of our history, our culture and our traditions. It is very strong in our area in particular, because here in Sussex, we do things a bit differently.
Our Bonfire season starts on the first weekend in September and ends on the 5th of November with a series of bonfire festivals, processions and fires held across Sussex and into parts of Surrey and Kent, as village and town bonfire societies also commemorate the burning of many local Protestant martyrs across Sussex during the reign of Bloody Mary between 1555 and 1558. There are, it’s reported, nearly 100,000 people across East and West Sussex directly involved in the Sussex Bonfire Societies. Most date back to the 19th Century, while others have more recently been re-constituted and may have been around for many decades – together they now raise in excess of £65,000 every year for local charities, under the motto, ‘We burn for good’.
These are cherished, widely attended and very popular community-led events and I was pleased to be able to feed into the very recent Fireworks petition debate on behalf of constituents, with front bench colleague, the shadow minister for Business and Trade Dame Harriett Baldwin MP rightly saluting both their organisation and charitable contribution. She said,
‘the many responsible groups up and down this country that are committed to the safe display and enjoyment of fireworks. They often raise money for good local causes.’
Across the UK, fireworks are now used to celebrate not just Bonfire Night and New Year, but also Diwali, Eid, Chinese New Year, weddings, end of school celebrations and other private events. Fireworks displays have, in reality, also become much bigger, louder, often longer and more explosive, causing more distress and upset to increasing numbers of neurodiverse people, people with mental health issues, the elderly and those living with dementia, veterans with PTSD, children, our pets, local livestock and wild animals. Sadly, in some parts of our country, these events are also being hijacked by an anti-social, criminal minority and communities blighted by violence. I was horrified to hear, for example, the MP for West Dunbartonshire, Douglas McAllister sharing that,
'on 5 November last year we experienced not only horrific effects on animals but unacceptable criminal conduct and large-scale chaos. Police riot vans were deployed after a 40-strong mob pelted people, local businesses and cars with explosives, and emergency services were attacked at several locations'
This is the current context in which MPs debated two petitions relating to the sale of fireworks on the 19th of January 2026.
The first petition to "Reduce the maximum noise level for consumer fireworks from 120 to 90 decibels" received more than 179,000 signatures. The second, "Limit the sale of fireworks to those running local council approved events only" received more than 191,000 signatures.
You can read the Labour Government ‘s response to the petitions here:
Reduce the maximum noise level for consumer fireworks from 120 to 90 decibels - Petitions
Limit the sale of fireworks to those running local council approved events only - Petitions
I can and do assure you, I take the issues around the sale and use of fireworks seriously and understand the deep concerns people have about the potential for distress to be caused by them. Rightly, there is already a lot of regulation in place. To reduce disturbance to both animals and people, there is a noise level limit of 120 decibels on fireworks for home use, although I appreciate many would like this reduced to 90 decibels. The Animal Welfare Act 2006 makes it an offence to cause unnecessary suffering to animals through the misuse of fireworks and they should not be set off near livestock or close to buildings that house livestock, or near to horses in fields. Anyone planning a firework display in rural areas should warn neighbouring farmers.
Regulations allow the general public to only buy and use certain categories of fireworks for family use and for private firework displays. These are classified as F2 and F3 and are available for sale to people aged 18 and over. All fireworks on sale to the public are required to comply with essential safety requirements, set down in UK law, which govern how they are made, tested and labelled. Fireworks used for professionally organised displays are only available for sale to people who have undertaken an accredited course of training in pyrotechnics. Enforcement powers exist for local authorities to take action when fireworks are unsafe, sold illegally or misused.
Retailers are already rightly restricted to selling consumer fireworks during a limited period around specific seasonal celebrations, and may only supply fireworks outside these periods if they obtain a licence from their local licensing authority. Laws are already in place to address the misuse of fireworks, making it an offence to use them after 11 pm and before 7 am all year round without express permission, with the exception of 5 November, when the curfew starts at 12 midnight, and New Year’s Eve, Chinese New Year and Diwali, when the curfew starts at 1am on the night of celebration. Excessive noise from fireworks, or noise during the curfew period, can be considered a statutory nuisance and local authority environmental health officers have the power to investigate complaints of fireworks noise and act to prevent it where appropriate.
Local authorities and the police also have powers to tackle anti-social behaviour caused by the misuse of fireworks. Police are able to issue penalty notices to persons aged 16 and over for a range of offences related to the misuse of fireworks. These include throwing fireworks, possession of a firework designated only for displays, possession by a person under 18 of an adult firework and breach of the fireworks curfew. It’s absolutely vital action is taken in anti-social and distressing situations and on-going issues addressed.
I am very much aware some constituents feel we should follow the Scottish parliament on this issue and, like John Lamont MP, Berwickshire, Roxborough and Selkirk,
‘I urge caution about what has happened in Scotland. The Scottish Government introduced a new licensing regime, much of which does not work, and they have had to pause the whole system. Although we need greater control and consistency across the UK, the Minister should not follow what the SNP Scottish Government have done.
The experience in Scotland was instructive: we can tighten the rules, but it does not necessarily deliver change. The reality is that trading standards is overstretched and underfunded, meaning that any form of close monitoring of fireworks sales will be very difficult. I do not think that there is a consensus on how best to move forward on that. There is also a concern that that would simply move sales into the black market.
The Scottish Government’s 2022 Act also legislated for the establishment and implementation of a new licensing scheme, which would require members of the public to obtain a licence before being allowed to purchase, possess or use fireworks. However, at the end of last year the First Minister announced that the implementation of the scheme would be paused due to its complexity, which I understand, and the cost of introducing it.’
Speaking for the Official Opposition, Dame Harriett Baldwin MP said,
‘This is not the first time that the House has discussed whether additional restrictions on the use of fireworks are necessary, but with more than 370,000 signatures on the two petitions… it is clear that the public want a system that better protects people, animals and communities from the misuse of fireworks.
..as we have heard so often in this debate, we cannot ignore the real problems—the dangerous misuse, the antisocial behaviour and the distress that is caused to pets, livestock, wildlife and many vulnerable people. I welcome the Government’s engagement with stakeholders, and their campaign encouraging responsible use and low-decibel displays.
We have heard in all the contributions today that we are a nation of animal lovers. We are also a nation that wants to continue to enjoy firework displays, but we also heard loud and clear that no action is not the answer here….
We recognise that fireworks are already heavily regulated, but many of the contributions highlighted gaps in enforcement, weak penalties for illegal sales, problems with stockpiling, and the devastating consequences both for property and in terms of burns when things go wrong. The age limits on purchases, which many believe are no longer appropriate, have been shown to be not properly enforced.
There is a clear need for a proper, evidence-led review of the regulations. If reforms are proportionate and grounded in that evidence, I suspect that they will attract unanimous support from across the House. From the point of view of my party, and of many Members in this debate, although a ban on fireworks should not be a first resort, it should not be taken off the table as a last resort.
Through the petitions, the public have spoken loudly. Through their representatives in Parliament, people have spoken loudly. Parliament has raised these issues repeatedly, and communities want action. Clearly, the existing regulations are not doing what society wants them to do.
You can read the full debate transcript and the what the Labour Minister responding had to say here:
Sale of Fireworks - Hansard - UK Parliament
Let me be clear: I do support the considerate use of fireworks and believe the framework underpinning the use of fireworks must strike the right balance between allowing individuals to enjoy fireworks while reducing the risks and disturbances to individuals, animals and property.
I attended this highly subscribed debate and I watched and listened for some time which I felt was imperative to do. Meanwhile, I do agree with the shadow Business Secretary, Andrew Griffiths MP, this is largely a problem of compliance and enforcement and the best way to clamp down on nuisance fireworks is for police forces to be given the resources and backing they need to enforce existing rules. Crucially, we should be alert to the possibility a ban could lead to an unregulated ‘black market’ in illegal fireworks and encourage some to produce their own dangerous homemade devices.
I will continue to follow this issue closely on behalf of my constituents here in my East Grinstead and Uckfield constituency to ensure we achieve balance and proper, ongoing consideration - allowing local people to enjoy fireworks as part of groups and societies, alongside the wider public who want the spectacular displays and long-held traditions to continue while, importantly, focusing on protecting people, pets and livestock from their worst effects and roundly acting to protect and support the wider community.
