Lily Allen has bowed out of a fight to enforce tougher action against illegal file-sharers.

The singer had become the face of a campaign against the Featured Artists' Coalition, who are opposed to proposals which would ban internet users who download music illegally.

However, writing on her Twitter page on Thursday, Allen said she would not be attending a meeting between the two parties scheduled for later today and was instead handing over the baton to other artists.

She also revealed that she had shut down her blog on music piracy, saying “the abuse was getting too much”.

Allen wrote: “There is a meeting today in London where artists are meeting to discuss Piracy. My job done.

“I won't be attending the meeting because it's going to be a press frenzy and I don't want to detract from the issues.

“I'm proud of the fact that that I've been involved with this debate but I'm passing the baton on to other artists.”

Allen's decision to bow out comes just hours after she announced the end of her music career on her MySpace blog.

“Just so you know, I have not renegotiated my record contract and have no plans to make another record,” she wrote.

(by Jason Gregory)