Sajid Javid, the Culture Secretary: You can’t legislate away zero hours contracts

Sajid Javid says that two thirds of people work under 25 hours a week and “like the flexibility” that zero hour contracts provide.

Speaking on the Daily Politics show he said: “Of course there are some people who would rather not be on a [zero hours] contract… but the only way we are going to achieve that is though a business friendly economy.”

Government, he says, “can not legislate that away.”

Mr Javid refuses to answer whether he is comfortable with companies such as Sports Direct employing up to 15,000 people on zero hour contracts. He said: “Politicians cannot force companies to have one type of contract or other, we can help the economy to grow and create jobs.”