A new law could halt payouts to people hurt because of their own blunders.

Lewes MP Norman Baker has introduced a Private Member’s Bill at the House of Commons which would change the law to prevent victims of accidents sueing for compensation if they were injured because of their own stupidity.

The Personal Responsibility Bill says individuals need to take on a greater responsibility for something that has happened to them through their own carelessness.

Mr Baker said he was hoping to bring an end to the “compensation culture” by which people look to claims for injuries they suffer which they could have avoided by using common sense.

He said: “There is too much of a culture these days for people to blame everyone else except themselves.

“People should no longer be able to bring successful law suits when they have suffered harm through their own irresponsible behaviour.

“It can lead to things like having a warning on a bag of peanuts saying it contains nuts.

“It is pretty obvious if you buy a cup of coffee the coffee is going to be hot so why the need to put the warning on it?

“If people want to smoke that is up to them but the dangers and consequences are well known so there is no point trying to sue the tobacco company.

“If someone breaks their leg on the ski slope there is no point blaming the ski manufacturers.

“We should be placing on everyone a greater responsibility for the actions they take and encouraging people to be sensible and not reckless.”

The bill calls for there to be a principle of personal responsibility for whatever may happen to someone as a result of their own actions unless there has been a clear breach of a duty of care or someone has suffered injury or damage as a result of a deliberate act of another person.

Eastbourne Borough Council leader David Tutt backed Mr Baker’s call.

He said: “We have become too litigious as a society.

“At times it is right that someone should take legal action but sometimes things are just taken too far.

“We need to wind the clock back a bit and start to take on some responsibility for the things that happen to us.”

Private Members' Bills go through the same stages and readings as bills introduced by government or opposition ministers but as less time is allocated to them, only a fraction end up becoming law.

There are usually two readings before a committee and a report stage which is then followed by a third reading before the bill is sent to the House of Lords.