Dozens of Labour MPs employ staff on zero-hours contracts — despite Ed Miliband claiming they have ‘no place in the 21st century’.

Official figures from Parliament’s expenses watchdog show 36 Labour MPs employed staff on the casual contracts last year. Some of Mr Miliband’s closest allies in the Labour Party have used the contracts – including his election campaign co-ordinator Lucy Powell and parliamentary bag carrier Karen Buck – who has six staff on the contracts.

Mr Miliband has repeatedly criticised zero-hours contracts and companies using them.

Just last week he said: ‘If you are working regular hours then you should get a regular contract.’ Zero hours contracts allow a company to vary the number of hours staff can work each week or month between full-time and none at all.

Labour has insisted it is not ‘exploiting’ workers and the casual contracts were typically of those used to take on interns part-time. Plaid Cymru condemns these Labour MP’s as “Do as I say, not do as I do” and companies who also adopt zero hours.

Andrew Nutt, Bargoed