08.12.10 David Cameron today vowed to scrap “absurd” health and safety laws that classify Christmas crackers as fireworks.
Under European Union rules rubber-stamped in the summer, they count as “category one” fireworks.
It means under-16s are banned from buying them, with checkout staff facing six-month prison terms and fines up to £5,000 for breaches.
During Prime Minister's Questions, Tory MP Michael Ellis described the rules as “absurd” and urged: “Will you put a firework under health and safety legislation?”
Mr Cameron replied: “It would give me enormous pleasure.”
Retailers called for trading standards officers to be called off from enforcing the rules in the run-up to Christmas.
“If you trust in yourself, and believe in your dreams, and follow your star. . . you'll still get beaten by people who spent their time working hard and learning things and weren't so lazy.”
