A Tower Hamlets MP is trying to help create a buzz for an environmental charity’s campaign to raise awareness about the dramatic decline of bees in the UK.

Jim Fitzpatrick, who represents Poplar and Limehouse, bee-friended a giant bumble bee at an awareness-raising event hosted by Friends of the Earth last Tuesday (Jan 15).

National studies show a sharp decline in bee populations, and Friends of the Earth launched its Bee Cause campaign last year calling for the government to introduce a National Bee Action Plan. The charity wants policymakers to ensure bee-friendly habitats are protected while enforcing a reduction in the use of chemical pesticides.

Mr Fitzpatrick said: “I am extremely concerned about the rapid decline in British bees. They’re not only an iconic part of our countryside, they play a vital role in pollinating our crops and flowers too.”

Friends of the Earth’s executive director, Andy Atkins, said he was “delighted” with Mr Fitzpatrick’s support for the campaign, and added: “People up and down the country can help by creating bee-friendly gardens and habitats to enable bees to thrive, but it is vital that the government does its bit too.”