A Harold Wood resident has taken his firework campaign to a government minister with the help of local MP, Julia Lopez, as his fight for safety improvements continues.
Alan Smith lost his mother, Josephine, to a house fire at her Harold Wood home in October 2021, after two youths posted lit fireworks through her letterbox. The teenagers had purchased the fireworks on a whim at a local shop. In the face of this tragedy, Mr Smith has been battling for stricter regulations on firework sales to save others from going through what his family has.
He has been working with Hornchurch & Upminster MP, Julia Lopez, since last year on his campaign. Mr Smith’s work has seen him on the Good Morning sofa, while Josephine’s death was raised in a parliamentary debate sparked by his petition. Following the debate, Mrs Lopez requested a direct meeting with Business Minister, Justin Madders, and hosted him and Mr Smith in her Westminster office this week.
Mr Smith set out to Minister Madders a series of practical changes that he believes now need urgently to be made to existing regulations. The Minister is currently holding a series of meetings with campaigners, animal charities and fireworks businesses to gauge whether the government needs to change its approach to firework sales. He promised to consider Mr Smith’s proposals as part of that work.
Reflecting on the meeting, Julia Lopez MP stated:
"I am grateful, as ever, to Alan for his courage in highlighting an issue that has caused him and his family such immense pain and trauma. It was a privilege to speak on his behalf in the parliamentary debate previously and to secure him the meeting with Minister Madders. His practical proposals seek to get the right balance so the public can continue to enjoy fireworks while troublemakers find it harder to purchase them to cause mayhem and harm."
