Boris Johnson was left flustered on Tuesday after being forced to admit – during a live debate on the EU referendum – that he hadn’t read a Bank of England report he had seconds earlier misquoted.

The blunder became evident after the former Mayor of London claimed during the debate that large movements of labour across the EU “have a compressing effect on wages”.

But Alex Salmond, the former Scottish First Minister who was on the panel arguing the case to Remain in the EU, asked: “Who in the Bank of England said that?”

Mr Johnson replied: “It was a Bank of England study that showed that for every 10 per cent increase in immigration there was a two per cent reduction in wages”.

Mr Salmond, however, continued to interrogate the former London Mayor. He asked: “Have you read that study Boris? Have you actually read it,”

After a short silence, Mr Johnson replied: “I have not read that study”.

Mr Salmond added: “Can we just nail this because I’ve heard this from a number of people. So I’ve taken the trouble of reading the study… it says a 10 per cent rise in immigration would result in a one third of one pence diminution in average wages. One third of one pence."

It comes as Lord Stuart Rose, the chair of the Remain campaign, said he had been misquoted over claims wages would go up if Britons voted to leave the EU – adding they would in fact go down.

He told the Guardian: “I would say this, wouldn’t I, but I was misquoted. I was asked a straight economic question … which is if labour goes down in availability, what happens to the cost of labour and the answer is simple economics, the cost of labour goes up.

“But that is not anything to do with the actual argument about whether we should or shouldn’t be in the bigger community. What we really have to be sure about is a continually growing economy, which I believe we have more chance of doing in a 500 million-person community and the largest economic bloc in the world.

The most scaremongering arguments for Brexit Show all 7 1 /7 The most scaremongering arguments for Brexit The most scaremongering arguments for Brexit 22 May 2015 In his regular column in The Express Nigel Farage utilised the concerns over Putin and the EU to deliver a tongue in cheek conclusion. “With friends like these, who needs enemies?” PA The most scaremongering arguments for Brexit 13 November 2015 UKIP MEP for Yorkshire and North Lincolnshire Mike Hookem, was one of several political figures who took no time to harness the toxic atmosphere just moments after Paris attacks to push an agenda. “Cameron says we’re safer in the EU. Well I’m in the centre of the EU and it doesn’t feel very safe.” Getty Images The most scaremongering arguments for Brexit 19 April 2016 In an article written for The Guardian, Michael Gove attempts to bolster his argument with a highly charged metaphor in which he likens UK remaining in the EU to a hostage situation. “We’re voting to be hostages locked in the back of the car and driven headlong towards deeper EU integration.” Rex The most scaremongering arguments for Brexit 26 April 2016 In a move that is hard to decipher, let alone understand, Mike Hookem stuck it to Obama re-tweeting a UKIP advertisement that utilises a quote from the film: ‘Love Actually’ to dishonour the US stance on the EU. “A friend who bullies us is no longer a friend” The most scaremongering arguments for Brexit 10 May 2016 During a speech in London former work and pensions secretary Ian Duncan Smith said that EU migration would cause an increasing divide between people who benefit from immigration and people who couldn’t not find work because of uncontrolled migration. “The European Union is a ‘force for social injustice’ which backs the ‘haves rather than the have-nots.” EPA The most scaremongering arguments for Brexit 15 May 2016 Cartoon character Boris Johnson made the news again over controversial comments that the EU had the same goal as Hitler in trying to create a political super state. “Napoleon, Hitler, various people tried this out, and it ends tragically.” “The EU is an attempt to do this by different methods.” PA The most scaremongering arguments for Brexit 16 May 2016 During a tour of the women’s clothing manufacturer David Nieper, Boris had ample time to cook up a new metaphor, arguably eclipsing Gove’s in which he compares the EU to ‘badly designed undergarments.’ “So I just say to all those who prophecy doom and gloom for the British Business, I say their pants are on fire. Let’s say knickers to the pessimists, knickers to all those who talk Britain down.” Getty Images

Speaking at the online debate, Mr Salmond also quoted the SNP manifesto for last month's Holyrood elections which stated that the parliament should have the right to hold a new referendum if a UK poll saw Scotland taken out of the EU “against her will”.

"You don't know the result of a referendum in advance, but what we do know is that the SNP stood on that manifesto in last month's election and got 47% of the vote in Scotland.

"Now, this referendum we are having just now was held by David Cameron on a mandate of 37% of the vote.

"So, it would have to go through the Scottish Parliament. It would have to be a Remain vote in Scotland, accompanying a Brexit elsewhere, but under these circumstances, the answer to your question is yes," Mr Salmond said.

The comments appear in contrast to Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon's stance that she is only interested in campaigning for a Remain vote and will not speculate on possible political repercussions of Brexit.