Sir Keir Starmer was ridiculed by Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch after the Prime Minister insisted he could not tell Ed Miliband what to do. Mrs Badenoch asked the Prime Minister during PMQs in the House of Commons whether the Government would allow new oil and gas drilling in the North Sea to go ahead to help tackle soaring fuel prices.

But Sir Keir repeatedly insisted that the decision was not up to him - because Energy Secretary Ed Miliband would decide instead. It provoked incredulity from the Tories. Mrs Badenoch asked: "I thought he was the Prime Minister? He is the Prime Minister, he can make this decision today. He is so weak, he is the first person to be pushed around by the Energy Secretary."

Mrs Badenoch pointed out that trade unions and former Labour prime minister Sir Tony Blair were calling for the new drilling to go ahead.

Sir Keir insisted that Mr Miliband was in charge, not him.

The Prime Minister told MPs: "The legislation sets out who the decision-maker is. It's the Secretary of State, it's not the Prime Minister."

But Mrs Badenoch said the Prime Minister had the power ultimately to decide. She said: "Hiding behind the Energy Secretary is pathetic."

Conservatives are calling on the Government to approve drilling in the Rosebank and Jackdaw oil fields.

Oil and gas prices have been driven up in recent weeks as Iran has throttled key shipping routes through the Strait of Hormuz, with commercial vessels coming under attack in the region.

The Tories say that without action, the UK could be importing as much as 82% of its gas by 2035, leaving billpayers vulnerable to oil price volatility.

They claim Rosebank and Jackdaw are "languishing" and should be used to boost domestic energy production.

Mrs Badenoch said the Jackdaw gas field could be up and running before winter, and could heat 1.6million homes.

Sir Keir said the UK needed to use more renewable energy sources. Mrs Badenoch told MPs it was possible to use North Sea gas while also investing in renewable energy.