Hilary Benn MP, Labour’s Foreign Secretary, responding to reports in tomorrow’s Observer about a statement by Vote Leave, said:

“The Leave campaign should stop trying to mislead and scare voters.

“The fact is that Turkey joining the EU is a very distant prospect.

“Firstly, because there are deepening concerns about governance, human rights and free media, and Turkey needs to sort out its relationship with Cyprus. These would all have to be overcome before there was any question of membership.

“Secondly, because every EU country has an individual veto on the accession of any new member state and some are likely to hold referendums on Turkish membership.

“And even if – a long time in the future – Turkey did become an EU member, Britain and other EU countries would be able, if they wanted to, to control the movement of workers. 

“In short, it would only happen if all European countries were agreed that it should. “