Labour has hit back after more than 100 business leaders came out in support of Government policies, with an open letter from "working people" calling for change in No 10.
The letter, signed by more than 100 people "from all walks of life", says that the country needs a Labour government "to put working people first".
It says that the General Election on May 7 offers a "fundamental choice" between a country that only works for "those at the very top" and one which works for working people.
"We are all working people. Some of us run businesses, large and small. Some of us used to work on zero hours contracts, some of us still do. We come from all walks of life, this is what Britain looks like," it said.
"A symbol of the failure of this Government's economic plan is the proliferation of zero hour contracts which has helped fuel the low wage, low skill economy that is letting down working people and letting down Britain.
"Britain only succeeds when working people succeed. We need a better plan for prosperity. We need a better plan and a better future. We need a Labour Government to put working people first."
Ed Miliband was facing a fresh onslaught on Wednesday from business as he prepared to set out plans effectively to outlaw "exploitative" zero hours contracts.
More than 100 senior executives from leading UK companies signed an open letter warning any "change in course" after the General Election on May 7 would threaten jobs and put the recovery at risk.
The letter was released as it emerged Miliband is to promise legislation in a Labour government's first Queen's Speech guaranteeing employees the right to a regular contract after 12 weeks of working regular hours in practice with an employer.
The commitment - to be included in the party's election manifesto - significantly strengthens its previous policy entitling workers to a regular contract after 12 months.
But in their letter sent to The Daily Telegraph, the executives - who come from some the country's best known companies - praised the Government's economic policies, which they said had supported investment and jobs.
The full letter reads from Labour...
Dear Sir,
We all care about Britain’s economy and we all have a stake in the future.
We are all working people. Some of us run businesses, large and small. Some of us used to work on zero hours contracts, some of us still do.
We come from all walks of life; this is what Britain looks like.
We believe that the fundamental choice at this election is: who does this country work for? Does it work only for those at the very top or does it work for working people – those trying to make ends meet, working in British businesses across the country to create wealth and support their families?
A symbol of the failure of this Government’s economic plan is the proliferation of zero hours contracts which has helped fuel the low wage, low skill economy that is letting down working people and letting down Britain.
Britain only succeeds when working people succeed. We need a better plan for prosperity. We need a better plan and a better future. We need a Labour Government to put working people first.
Yours faithfully,
Aijaz Ahmad, Mandy Ambrose, Oware Ampem Darko, Stephen Anderson, Jonathan Austin, Stephen Barclay, Ann Barr, Trevor Beattie, Reece Berini, Emily Berrington, Andy Berrington, Fiona Binns, Paul Booth, Stacey Booth, Rema Boumerdassi, Melanie Bowers, Billy Boyle, Katy Bradbury, Matthew Brannigan, Darrell Brett, Matthew Burge, Nathaniel Butler, John Carden, Keith Clarke CBE, Naomi Collins, Kate Cragg, Kevin Craig, Marian Craig, Paul Cumming, Megan Davies, Phil Deary, Stuart Doran, Sean Duffy, Peter Duncan, Arnab Dutt, Arpita Dutt, Christophe Egret, Stephanie Elsy, Dominic Evans, Keith Peter Evans, Efe Ezekiel, Mary Foster, Bryan fowler, Maria Geogiou, Suzanne George, Ewan Gibbs, Margaret Gildea, Lauren Gilmore, Karen Gould, Charlie Hanson, Nathan Hardacre, Emily Harvey, Ryan Hebbs, Philip Hedley CBE, Wayne Hemingway MBE, Lee Henshaw, Samuel Higgins, Colin Hind, Deborah Hodson, Martyn Hopkinson, Anna Hudson, Peter Hurst, Alex Ingram, Julie Ingram, Joe Jennings, Paul Johnson, Graham Jones OBE, Jodi Jones„ Emma Kane, Ali Kawa, Sophie Kennedy, Phil Loft, Helen Logan, Jo Lynn, Sir Michael Lyons, Richard Marshall, Eugene McCarthy, Billie McGann, Kevin McGrath, Clippy McKenna, Eibhlin McMenamin, Gina Miller, Colin Miller, Louise Mitchell, Reece Moore, Ghulam Murtuza„ Jade Nicholls, Tunji Offeyi, Susie Orbach, Rui Paif, Fayyaza Patel, Ashik Shamji Patel, Norman Pickavance, John-Jo Pierce, Claire Pitcher, Keah Pownall, Nicola Purcell, Georgina Ramsey, Robert Robinson, J P Rocks, David Rose, Ian Rosenblatt, Katharine Sadler, Kemi Saidu, Tom Skinner, Natalie Smith, Darren Smith, Raphael Sofoluke, Rory Somerville, Jack Spooner, Danny Start, Florence Stencil-Wade, Vin Sumner, Osman Tango, Alice Tarry, Nick Teige , Kevin Terry, Narinder Thandi, Callie Thorpe, Melanie Todd, George Torr, Nicholas Turnbull, Robin Turner, Emma Vickers, Dale Vince, Stephanie Webster, Stuart Webster, Linzi Williams, , Stanley Wilson, George Wippich, Margaret Wood MBE, Derek Wyatt, Rachel Yemm, Baris Yerli, Michael Ziff, Sophie Growcoot ,