Business

Bracknell MP Dr Phillip Lee (right) worked with Andy Hubble (centre) and Sean Durcan (left) of Star Fireworks to get the EU ruling overturned
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Popular fireworks firm saved after EU law change dismissed

By Becky Barnes
March 01, 2013

Bonfire night is back on after a Government minister backed a Bracknell fireworks firm’s campaign to dismiss a change in EU law which threatened the industry.

Andy Hubble, owner of Star Fireworks, in Bullbrook Row, called on Bracknell MP Dr Phillip Lee to help fight the ruling which meant ‘old’ stock was deemed ‘illegal’.

Sudden UE law change could leave popular firework firm facing closure

The 39-year-old, who does displays for Big Brother and the X Factor, faced having to bin up to £200,000 of stock, which could have forced his business to go bust.

But Jo Swinson, business, innovation and skills minister, last Thursday confirmed she would be overturning the guidance after Dr Lee lobbied her on behalf of the fireworks industry. In a letter to Dr Lee she said she would be advising Trading Standards officers to allow stock that was imported up to 2014 and was not CE-marked to be sold.

She added a review would be conducted as to why the guidance with such implications for the fireworks industry was published.

Dr Lee said: “This is great news – the guidance was plain stupid and complete nonsense.

“I am delighted at the announcement that the minister has clarified the confusion over regulations.

“This means that at last Bracknell will be able to celebrate a great Guy Fawkes Night this year.

“I am really pleased for Star Fireworks – they were really concerned this was going to tip them over the edge. I was quite robust with my exchange with the minister and emphasised it needed to be sorted swiftly.

“British Standard is far better than EU standard anyway.”

Andy condemned the ‘nonsense’ change in guidance which meant fireworks which were not CE-marked but were rated British Standard could no longer be sold unless they were on the market before July 2010.He said this was ‘the worst thing possible’ for the fireworks industry and could shut the whole thing down.

Andy Hubble, who is in China to buy fireworks, was relieved to hear the news.

He said: “This would still be unsettled had it not been for Dr Phillip Lee going directly to the minister to stress the urgency of the situation and need for a swift solution as we had been placed in an impossible situation by the Government.

“It is only thanks to his efforts we are able to be in China placing the orders which until last week would have been deemed illegal thanks to this very unhelpful European directive. The safety of our fireworks has never been in question, the British Standard is an excellent sign of a quality, safe product.”

Andy will attend a meeting in Westminster on March 20 for further negotiations with the minister.

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Most recent user comments 12 of 12

Ok I was wrong, but obviously it's so much better lying and lying and lying and then only telling the truth when you've got no other choice. What a fine role model.

Ok, Andy Hubble.

"We've got this problem, who do I go to?"

"The MP, who else?"

"What about the Lib Dems?"

"Hmm, OK, I'll contact the Lib Dem Mp.......oh wait.

"I'll contact the Lib Dems on the council.......oh wait."

The fact is Dr Lee said he'd lobby for the business in Parliament, which he did do.

Strangely again, a back-bench MP in his first term wasn't able to single-handedly overturn an EU directive by himself, well I never.

And before anyone suggests, I have no affiliation to any political party, Tory or otherwise, I think they're doing a rotten job and are faced with pathetic opposition.

Megaman
07/03/2013 at 12:29

If it weren’t for Dr Lee forever getting himself in publicity photos and claiming credit for things he seldom actually does, then it would indeed be a case of “Who cares” but alas, when he is constantly taking all the credit for things that he often has no idea about then I’m afraid I agree with exposing him whether it be a Lib Dem or a member of the public who does it. Did anyone bother to read the story and the comment someone made on the WW2 medal story? Probably not as it didn’t relate to anyone other than those it affected or those who know people who it affected. Yet again, the limelight Dr put his name to it and yet he did bu**er all and got all the credit. There isn’t a political party who I would be happy to vote for as they are all as bad as one another. Back biting and always running the other parties down. Watching debates in parliament is worse than watching kids fighting in a playground – and these are the people running our country. For the members of these parties who simply take the pay check and moonlight in other jobs then I’m sorry, it means they really don’t know or understand Joe Average on the street as they are too busy to care. It would mean “engaging with constituents” and we all know they are 3 words which mean nothing – well, at least to Dr Lee.

HK, bracknell
06/03/2013 at 20:30

Who is to say which one of the "delegation" might have swung it? Maybe the final nudge from Lee MP did it?

Lying about courts is even worse. Liberal Democrat high command defied grassroots activists - http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2288218/Ministers-trampling-tradition-open-justice-Lib-Dem-MPs-ordered-plan-secret-courts.html?ito=feeds-newsxml it voted to back Conservative plans for secret courts to be used in cases involving national security issues.

Sandyandy, Warfield
06/03/2013 at 18:09

@Megaman

Yes we too are glad that a popular and very successful business has been saved; but who saved it? Not solely Dr Lee as this article implies but Lib Dems. The implication of this article is fundamentally dishonest.

You said: "Do we care about which politicians did what? No." You may not care but I'm sure many do and do want to know the real facts not some media spin.

You complain about politicians breaking election promises but no party won the last election, so how can any party make firm commitments? In 2015 the Lib Dems will stand on a record of delivering our own policy ideas which have improved peoples lives such as raising the tax free allowance to £10,000, the pupil premium, cracking down on tax avoidance and ensuring pensions rise by at least 2.5% pa. The Conservatives will be entitled to claim credit for their own ideas such as the tax cut for the most wealthy taxpayers, benefit cuts for the poorest and the top down reorganisation of the NHS.

I'm not aware of any Lib Dems making a habit of lying in court. I assume you mean Chris Huhne pleading guilty before he had his day in court? That's somewhat different to what you imply.

http://www.whatthehellhavethelibdemsdone.com/

http://bracknelllibdems.org.uk/en/article/2013/665289/dr-lee-s-firework-pr-stunt-blows-up-in-his-face

Bracknell Lib Dems
06/03/2013 at 17:11

Oh good, a nice community story about a popular local business being saved hi-jacked by politicians.

Forgive me if I'm wrong, but did Andy Hubble contact the Lib Dems for help? No.

Did he contact Phillip Lee? Yes.

Did Phillip Lee help him? Yes.

All he said is that he lobbied on their behalf, which he did.

Are we all glad a popular and very successful business has been saved yes?

Do we care about which politicians did what? No.

But well done to the Lib Dems, who are so expertly running the country with the Tories on a policy of going back on election promises and lying in court.

Megaman
06/03/2013 at 11:27

Readers of this article might be forgiven for thinking that Bracknell MP Dr Lee had single-handedly saved the UK fireworks industry and Bracknell's own Star Fireworks company from certain collapse caused by some dastardly new EU law. In fact the whole article was yet another undeserved publicity stunt for Dr Lee, whose role in this affair was minimal. As can be seen from the Hansard extract and link from 7/2/2013, it was the Lib Dem MP for Colchester who along with Lib Dem Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills (Jo Swinson), brought about the review which allowed old stock to be sold. Dr Lee along with a number of other MP's were late to the party when the Lib Dems were already on the case for months. We hope that Andy Hubble doesn't put too much faith in Dr Lee, he might find along with many of his constituents that he is a bit of a 'dud'. We would also hope that getBracknell does a bit more digging before publishing what is little more than a party political advert for Conservative MP Dr Lee; where no mention is made of the fact that it was the Lib Dems that saved a Bracknell company.

Bracknell Lib Dems
04/03/2013 at 22:49

Hansard: 7 Feb 2013 : Column 422

Sir Bob Russell (Colchester) (LD): With Chinese new year celebrations and firework displays this weekend, will the Minister urgently receive a delegation of MPs and immediately suspend new regulations—which have just been implemented five years early—that will lead to the collapse of the British fireworks industry?

Jo Swinson (LD): I know that my hon. Friend is speaking up for the industry on this issue. I met him at the end of last year. BIS policy officials have had two meetings with the industry. Lawyers have also had meetings, and a further meeting is due next week to try to resolve the issue he raises. Yesterday I received a letter from him and the hon. Members for Bracknell (Dr Lee), for Sherwood (Mr Spencer) and for Huntingdon (Mr Djanogly). I will be happy to meet them next week as a matter of urgency to discuss this.

http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201213/cmhansrd/cm130207/debtext/130207-0001.htm

Bracknell Lib Dems
04/03/2013 at 22:49

Nearly spat my dinner over the laptop reading that! Now I have that image in my head - thanks very much!

HK, bracknell
02/03/2013 at 20:35

So let's see if I have this right. A government department misinterpreted an EU directive and this was then released after presumably being given the thumbs up by the 'responsible' conservative minister. This caused obvious distress to an importer and Dr Lee then raised the matter with his mate who said words to the effect of "oops, another cock-up" and all was right with the world.

I cannot get the image of the doktor being 'robust' out of my head. I have a vision of a wilted stick of celery shouting at a lettuce.