Plans to impose a three-month wait before EU jobseekers can claim benefits is just “spitting in the wind” of the problem, Burley-in-Wharfedale and Menston’s MP has warned.

Conservative Shipley Constituency MP Philip Davies said the proposals – being rushed through Parliament to come into force on January 1 – the same date people from Bulgaria and Romania can work in the UK without restrictions, did not go far enough.

Only leaving the European Union would sort out the crisis, Mr Davies said.

Speaking in Prime Minister’s Questions last week, Mr Davies said: “I welcome the Prime Minister’s acceptance that something needs to be done to stop EU migrants accessing British benefits.

“Would he agree with me, what he is proposing, which will probably be found illegal by the European Court, is really spitting in the wind when it comes to the problems we face.

“The only way to get control of our borders back and to get control of our benefits system is to leave the European Union.”

His comments came as Downing Street said the rules on how long people coming from the EU to seek work will have to wait before accessing benefits would be brought in early. David Cameron said he did not share Mr Davies’ “pessimism” and that the measures were taken after legal advice and from looking at examples of other European countries.

He added: “I want to do everything possible to make sure the right of free movement is not abused. There is a right to work in different countries of the European Union but there should not be a right to claim in different countries of the EU.

“Where I agree is we need to do more in future and a lesson we must learn is the mistake Labour made to give unfettered access to our labour market when Poland and others joined the EU which led to 1.5 million people coming to our country was a profound mistake.”