Labour leader Ed Miliband has attacked the firm owned by tycoon Mike Ashley, claiming it is a terrible place to work.
In a speech yesterday, he condemned Sports Direct for adopting “Victorian practices” and putting profits before ethics.
He accused Ashley’s firm of employing 17,000 people on zero-hour contracts before promising to ban the practice.
He said: “It has predictable turnover, it has big profits but, for too many of its employees, Sports Direct is a terrible place to work.”
As well as Sports Direct, self-made billionaire Ashley owns Newcastle United and a near 9% share in Rangers.
Only last week it was reported the Scottish club are expected to announce a raft of cost-cutting measures in the coming days.
Mr Miliband claimed Ashley’s decision to employ staff at his Sports Direct stores on zero-hour contracts contributed to an “epidemic” in society, giving rise to job insecurity.
He added: “We can’t go on with an economy that allows businesses to use zero-hours contracts as the standard way of employing people. These Victorian practices have no place in the 21st Century.”
Mr Miliband has said big changes are required to make Britain a more equal society.
He added: “We’re going to change what I call the zero-zero economy of zero-hours contracts, and zero tax for those at the top. We’ve listened to businesses and we’ve listened to workers. This country is too unequal and we need to change it.
“The Tories won’t do anything about low pay because they think that’s how Britain competes in the world.”
Sports Direct agreed last month to make major changes for staff on zero-hours contracts following legal action brought by a former employee.
Last night a spokesman for the firm brushed off the criticism. He said: “With enemies like these, who needs friends?”
Ashley, 50, recently bailed Rangers out with £2 million in emergency funding and last week plunged a further £1m into the Ibrox side.
Meanwhile, Police Scotland last night refused to elaborate after an arrest warrant was issued for former Rangers owner Craig Whyte.
They refused to comment on whether or not officers would be sent to Monaco to track down the 43-year-old where he is understood to have a residential property.
Whyte, who bought the club in May 2011, had an arrest warrant issued against him last week by cops investigating his buying of the club from former owner David Murray.
Four men David Grier, Paul Clark and David Whitehouse, who worked for administrators Duff & Phelps, and Gary Withey, who represented Whyte were all detained on Friday. They are due to appear in court tomorrow.
Police Scotland, who are leading a joint operation with HMRC, confirmed “enquires are ongoing” in to the whereabouts of Whyte.
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