Unions urged an all out ban on zero-hours contracts yesterday as Con-Dem Business Secretary Vince Cable tinkered around the edges of the exploitative practice. 

Mr Cable has announced a “clampdown” on exclusivity clauses imposed by bosses which bar staff from working elsewhere — even if they aren’t getting enough hours to earn a decent wage. The contracts have been forced onto an estimated 125,000 workers by “unscrupulous” employers.

The Lib Dem minister claimed his initiative would “ensure people get a fair deal” while allowing students and older people to benefit from “flexibility” offered by the contracts.