Ed Miliband‘s sudden conversion to North Sea drilling has been exposed as a shameless bid to land the Chancellor’s job, critics say. The Energy Secretary is reportedly poised to approve the Jackdaw gas field off Aberdeen after years of blocking new drilling in the name of net zero.

But the U-turn comes at what critics say is a suspiciously convenient moment, just as Andy Burnham prepares to boot Rachel Reeves out of the Treasury and appoint a new Chancellor. Mr Miliband is said to be desperate to prove he is a “pragmatist” rather than a “zealot”, with reports in The Daily Telegraph suggesting he privately wants the top economic job for himself.

Shadow Energy Secretary Claire Coutinho tore into the timing, saying: “After two years of Net Zero zealotry, Ed Miliband appears to have suddenly discovered the merits of North Sea oil and gas – just as the Chancellor job becomes vacant.”

She added: “Either Miliband has had a Damascene conversion or, more likely, this is just another empty promise from the man who said he’d get energy bills down but sent them soaring instead.”

Ms Coutinho said: “There is only one party you can rely on to Get Britain Drilling in the North Sea and deliver lower bills for families and businesses – and that is the Conservatives.”

Energy analyst Andy Mayer said the Government’s approach remained “ideological and unserious”, accusing Mr Miliband of “waiting to be told what to do by an army of lawyers”.

He said: “We need oil and gas, we have oil and gas, drill the oil and gas. Until that is policy, nothing about the UK’s high energy bills and dangerous exposure to supply shocks will change.”

But the Green Party accused Mr Miliband of betrayal. Adrian Ramsay said: “Granting new drilling licences is a betrayal of future generations, and it won’t help the cost of living crisis.”

He added: “It’s shocking if Ed Miliband caves into fossil fuel interests like this.”

Mr Miliband was approached for comment.