North Swindon MP Will Stone today - 4 February - brought the Road Traffic (Unlicensed Drivers) Bill to Parliament.
The Bill is also known as the Harry Parker Bill in honour of the Swindon 14-year-old who was struck and killed by a car in Akers Way in November of 2022.
The subsequent decision by the Crown Prosecution Service to drop charges against the driver, Ivy Mwangi, provoked widespread anger.
Mr Stone's Bill, if it becomes law, will ensure that those who drive without a license and who cause a death will automatically be judged as driving carelessly and will be charged accordingly.
The Harry Parker Bill passed its First Reading by a unanimous vote and will be moving forward to its Second Reading on the 13 June.
Addressing the Deputy Speaker in the Commons, Mr Stone said: "Before I speak on the aim of the bill, I would like to give some context to what has brought me to bring the Harry Parker Bill forward to this House.
"This is not just a policy matter; it is about justice, accountability, and preventing future tragedies.
"Who was Harry? What happened to him, and how can we change the law to prevent anyone from going through what his parents, Adam and Kelly, have gone through?
"Harry was a 14-year-old boy. He loved football, taking home a trophy or two in his time. Those that knew him said he was a very popular and charming young man. To his parents, he was their world. Adam said, 'He had the biggest heart and loved to make people laugh. He could light up the room with just his presence.
"However, on the 25th of November 2022, the unspeakable happened - an event that truly rocked our community. Harry was struck by a car outside of his school, and sadly, the incident resulted in his death. This, in itself, is a tragedy: a young 14-year-old boy with his life ahead of him.
"I ask this House to join me in expressing our deepest condolences to the family and to recognise their remarkable strength in the face of this unimaginable loss.
"Losing Harry was tragic enough. But what followed made it even worse. The person who struck Harry was driving without a license, without insurance, and failed to stop at the scene. Given these circumstances, one might assume that justice would be served—that the individual responsible would face serious criminal charges.
"Yet, in November 2024, all charges were dropped.
"Let me be absolutely clear: this is not an attack on the Crown Prosecution Service or the police. They followed the law as it currently stands. But that isprecisely the problem. The law, in its current form, is failing.
"We must ask ourselves: how can it be that a person can drive illegally, take a life, and yet face no legal consequences? How can it be that knowingly operating a vehicle without a license is not automatically deemed as careless or dangerous driving?
"The answer is simple: our system is flawed. A person who does not hold a valid license has no business being behind the wheel of a car, and when they do so, they put lives at risk.
"Madam Deputy Speaker, I cannot bring Harry back, nor can I give Adam and Kelly the justice they deserve. No legislation, no speech, no court ruling can ease their pain.
"But what we can do—what we must do—is ensure that no other family has to endure what they have been through. The Harry Parker Bill seeks to close the dangerous gaps in our legal system and impose real consequences on those who choose to drive without a license.
"Those who drive without a valid license will be deemed as careless.
"Madam Deputy Speaker, I urge this House will join me in honouring Harry’s memory not just with words, but with action. Let us commit to making our roads safer for all. I urge the Government to consider this bill in their road safety strategy."
The subsequent decision by the Crown Prosecution Service to drop charges against the driver, Ivy Mwangi, provoked widespread anger.
Mr Stone's Bill, if it becomes law, will ensure that those who drive without a license and who cause a death will automatically be judged as driving carelessly and will be charged accordingly.
The Harry Parker Bill passed its First Reading by a unanimous vote and will be moving forward to its Second Reading on the 13 June.
Addressing the Deputy Speaker in the Commons, Mr Stone said: "Before I speak on the aim of the bill, I would like to give some context to what has brought me to bring the Harry Parker Bill forward to this House.
"This is not just a policy matter; it is about justice, accountability, and preventing future tragedies.
"Who was Harry? What happened to him, and how can we change the law to prevent anyone from going through what his parents, Adam and Kelly, have gone through?
"Harry was a 14-year-old boy. He loved football, taking home a trophy or two in his time. Those that knew him said he was a very popular and charming young man. To his parents, he was their world. Adam said, 'He had the biggest heart and loved to make people laugh. He could light up the room with just his presence.
"However, on the 25th of November 2022, the unspeakable happened - an event that truly rocked our community. Harry was struck by a car outside of his school, and sadly, the incident resulted in his death. This, in itself, is a tragedy: a young 14-year-old boy with his life ahead of him.
"I ask this House to join me in expressing our deepest condolences to the family and to recognise their remarkable strength in the face of this unimaginable loss.
"Losing Harry was tragic enough. But what followed made it even worse. The person who struck Harry was driving without a license, without insurance, and failed to stop at the scene. Given these circumstances, one might assume that justice would be served—that the individual responsible would face serious criminal charges.
"Yet, in November 2024, all charges were dropped.
"Let me be absolutely clear: this is not an attack on the Crown Prosecution Service or the police. They followed the law as it currently stands. But that isprecisely the problem. The law, in its current form, is failing.
"We must ask ourselves: how can it be that a person can drive illegally, take a life, and yet face no legal consequences? How can it be that knowingly operating a vehicle without a license is not automatically deemed as careless or dangerous driving?
"The answer is simple: our system is flawed. A person who does not hold a valid license has no business being behind the wheel of a car, and when they do so, they put lives at risk.
"Madam Deputy Speaker, I cannot bring Harry back, nor can I give Adam and Kelly the justice they deserve. No legislation, no speech, no court ruling can ease their pain.
"But what we can do—what we must do—is ensure that no other family has to endure what they have been through. The Harry Parker Bill seeks to close the dangerous gaps in our legal system and impose real consequences on those who choose to drive without a license.
"Those who drive without a valid license will be deemed as careless.
"Madam Deputy Speaker, I urge this House will join me in honouring Harry’s memory not just with words, but with action. Let us commit to making our roads safer for all. I urge the Government to consider this bill in their road safety strategy."
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