ANDY BURNHAM was accused of taking activists’ votes “for granted” yesterday after branding bosses “heroes” and bashing benefits claimants in a speech to business bigwigs.

He chose the plush City of London headquarters of consultancy conglomerate Ernst and Young to host his first speech of the Labour leadership campaign, designed to quash his reputation as the left-wing candidate.

The shadow health secretary told assembled bosses that Labour “got it wrong on business” under ex-leader Ed Miliband.

“We didn’t celebrate the spirit of enterprise,” he said.

“Far too rarely over the last few years has Labour spoken up in praise of the everyday heroes of our society — the small businessman or woman, the sole trader, the innovator, the inventor, the entrepreneur, the businesses that feed us, clothe us, keep our houses warm, get us to work, entertain us.”

The frontrunner to succeed Mr Miliband then turned to welfare, claiming Labour was perceived to be giving people on benefits an “easy ride.”

“We must change that perception before we can win,” Mr Burnham insisted.

“The Labour Party I will lead will once again truly be the party of work.”

Mr Burnham’s outspoken opposition to NHS privatisation has helped his popularity soar among grassroots left activists. 

However, Campaign for Labour Party Democracy (CLPD) spokesman Jon Lansman branded yesterday’s speech “disgraceful.”

Mr Lansman warned attacks on welfare would lead working-class voters to believe that the party does not "give a damn” about them, and called on leadership candidates to recognise that “businesses comprise the workforce not only the top directors.”

And he said Mr Burnham’s speech was the “result of not having a left candidate” in the leadership race.

“He can take the left for granted, he’s bidding for right-wing votes,” Mr Lansman told the Star.

The CLPD launched a last-ditch drive to persuade shadow cabinet member Jon Trickett to stand on Thursday.

Mr Lansman said yesterday that he was “still trying” to get a left MP to enter the contest, while adding that left-wing members of the party “may well vote for Andy Burnham at the end of the day.”

“We’ll want to stop (Blairite Liz) Kendall because she would really be the end, I think,” he explained.