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Viewers have hailed a video by Stephen Fry which aims to skewer "myths" he claims were spread by the campaign to leave the EU.

During the 11-minute animated video shared on YouTube and Twitter, the actor and novelist shared "the story of how a mythical EU dragon was conjured up".

He begins by comparing anti-migrant media stories to Nazi propaganda, picking out a Katie Hopkins column in which she wrote: "Show me pictures of coffins, show me bodies floating in water, play violins and show me skinny people looking sad. I still don’t care."

He also highlights a leaflet distributed by the Vote Leave campaign which suggested five countries in south-eastern Europe were "set to join the EU".

In fact, Albania, Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia and Turkey have all applied to join - but, Mr Fry points out: "Turkey applied over 30 years ago."

It is thought unlikely any of the five will soon join.

Mr Fry turns his attention next to Brexiteers' claims that Britain will be better off with less immigration.

"There is overwhelming consensus among economists that immigration is good for Britain’s economy," he says, citing figures saying 80 per cent of economists think the UK will be poorer and only 2 per cent disagree.

"Studies show they boost public finances because they pay more in indirect taxes and make much less use of benefits and public services," he says of immigrants.

Immigrants pay for more school places than they use contrary to claims by Boris Johnson, he says, and contributed £20 billion to UK finances between 2000 and 2011.

Mr Fry also addresses claims that the EU imposes rules on the UK which get in the way of its democratic system.

In fact, though, the UK voted in favour of 95 per cent of EU laws and opposed only 2 per cent of them, says Fry.

EU laws have never imposed a ban on odd-shaped bananas, and instead have given cheaper phone calls, fought tax evasion, and banned spam emails, he says.

Finally he calls Brexiteers Jacob Rees-Mogg and Boris Johnson the "arch-instigators of electoral fear" who are themselves firmly rooted in the establishment.

Mr Rees-Mogg's father was editor of the Times, he points out before calling for a second referendum and concluding: "The truth is beginning to outshine the mythical dragon of the EU."

People reacted with delight on Twitter, with one man writing: "Easily the most sensible thing I've seen / heard on Brexit by far... well done @stephenfry you superstar."

"This is perfect," said another.

Another man wrote: "Completely dismantling the rumours, scaremongering, and outright lies that have led to the EU being so despised in this country."

Not everybody agreed with it, however.

Conservative academic Adrian Hilton wrote: "Far from 'perfect', this is artless, crass and insensible."