Lib Dem Theodore Butt Philip, right, urged Ian Liddell-Grainger to support the bill, which would put a duty on the Government to deliver a massive home insulation programme and put an end to those using pre-pay meters – generally the least well-off – paying higher rates for their gas and electricity.

He said: "This bill would have made a real and noticeable difference to the lives of many of the poorest people living in Bridgwater.

"According to Consumer Focus, an estimated 7,531 households in the Bridgwater constituency live in fuel poverty.

"I am very disappointed that Mr Liddell-Grainger decided not to turn up and support this.

"The people of Bridgwater were let down on Friday by an MP who has failed to take action to alleviate one of the biggest problems facing a large number of local people."

The bill was supported by Consumer Focus, Disability Alliance, Age Concern England, Child Poverty Action Group, Help The Aged, Friends Of The Earth, National Right To Fuel Campaign, Association For The Conservation Of Energy, Centre For Sustainable Energy and the Sustainable Energy Partnership.

However, Mr Liddell-Grainger said this bill did not have a hope of passing and thought it was a waste of Parliamentary time.

He said: "I had a full day last Friday, visiting charities and helping out my constituents and this bill had no chance of being passed.

"It's a bit rich for Mr Butt Philip to go on about poverty when he wants to close down Hinkley Point power station and jeopardise 1,000 or so jobs in the area.

"A Lib Dem hasn't had a bill passed in just under 100 years, so I knew this one would be no different."

The bill won the votes of the overwhelming majority of MPs present for the vote, with 89 in favour and two voting against.

But as fewer than 100 MPs voted positively, the bill failed.