Speaking to Premier following a major speech by the Prime Minister's on immigration policy, Sir Gerald Howarth, a Christian said: "Clearly I think that is one of the minimum requirements, we cannot have people coming here and then claiming benefits."
Mr Howarth's comments follow proposals announced earlier on Friday by David Cameron, who wants to see EU rules renegotiated that would require foreign jobseekers to leave the UK if they can't get work within six months of arriving here.
In his speech at JCB headquarters in Staffordshire Mr Cameron said: "So if an EU jobseeker has not found work within six months, they will be required to leave".
"Let's be clear what this will mean. At the moment 40 per cent of those coming to work in the UK do not have a job offer when they arrive - the highest proportion in the EU.
"Many of these will no longer come. EU jobseekers who don't pay in will no longer get anything out. And those who do come will no longer be able to stay if they can't find work."
David Cameron's also warned Britain could leave the European Union if he doesn't get the immigration reforms he wants.
Mr Cameron was speaking after the publication of official statistics showing net migration has risen to 260,000 over the past year - 16,000 higher than when the coalition Government came to office.
He admitted that his policies had "not been enough" to meet the target of cutting overall numbers to the tens of thousands by 2015.
Reacting to the Prime Minister's speech, EU Commission spokesman Margaritis Schinas suggested the proposals would need to be considered as part of ongoing negotiations of EU reform, he said: "These are UK ideas and they are part of the debate. They will have to be examined without drama and should be discussed calmly and carefully."
Sir Gerald Howarth:
