An MP has blamed left- wing "headbangers" after he was forced to scrap the Private Member's Bill he was piloting through Parliament.

Des Turner, MP for Kemp Town, Brighton, was due to formally withdraw his proposed energy conservation laws last night after the Government said it would not support the legislation.

Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Secretary Margaret Beckett refused to back the Home Energy Conservation Bill because of an amendment calling for energy savings of 30 per cent by 2010.

Dr Turner said the Bill would have become law if the changes had not been added by MPs, and blamed Labour's left-wing campaign group for its defeat.

He said: "The Labour MPs who voted for the amendment were behaving like headbangers on this occasion. It was a pointless gesture and we are paying heavily for it.

"It is a great pity that people tried to be clever and they have ended up by delaying much-needed legislation."

He said he would reintroduce the Bill without the offending amendment next year and the main points were supported by the Government.

The proposed new law would have forced councils to meet statutory home energy conservation targets and act to combat fuel poverty.

Councils would also have to have registered houses of multiple occupation, to ensure they met energy efficiency and safety standards.

Dr Turner said: "We have lost them for the moment but nobody has lost sight of it. The Government wants all of this stuff and we will get it, I am quite sure of that."

Rik Child, of the Brighton and Hove Green Party, said Dr Turner had let people down by abandoning the Bill.

He said: "It is not good enough to cave in under pressure at this stage, having pledged to see this Bill through with meaningful targets which would reduce fuel poverty and energy wastage."