Labour leader Ed Miliband says self-employed people “deserve a fair shot” compared with their employed counterparts.

Speaking at the Labour Party conference in Manchester yesterday Mr Miliband said it was unfair that self-employed – who now form a sizable chunk of the workforce – are far less likely to have a pension and struggle to get a mortgage because of their status.

He said: "To the growing army of our self-employed, five million working people so often the most entrepreneurial, go-getting people in our country, they don't want special treatment, but they do deserve a fair shot.

"Two thirds have no pension. Because of the jobs they do, one in five is stopped from getting a mortgage. It is time to end this modern, 21st century discrimination. The next Labour government will ensure there are equal rights for the self-employed."

In a speech thin on detail Mr Miliband also pledged to reduce business rates and rein in energy prices, both of which are lumping pressure onto the cost of doing business for UK small and medium businesses.

Reacting to the speech, Forum of Private Business boss Phil Orford said: “Short-term cost cuts like those announced on business rates and energy prices are welcome but businesses are aware of other cost pressures that could take their place.”

“What many small businesses won’t want are sizeable, above inflationary increases in the National Minimum Wage as they start contributing to their employees’ pensions for the first time over the next few years.”