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David Cameron has savaged one of his own top team for making "very misleading" claims about the EU in a car crash interview.

Pro- Brexit Defence Minister Penny Mordaunt twice claimed today that Britain has no veto on Turkey joining the 28-nation bloc - despite the fact it does.

She was instantly accused of telling "outrageous fibs" by Britain Stronger In Europe spokesman James McGrory.

And the Prime Minister said getting simple facts wrong made him question her judgement - though he declined to say if she should be sacked.

"The Leave campaign are making a very misleading claim," he told ITV's Peston on Sunday.

He added: "[It's] absolutely wrong. Let me be clear, Britain and every other country in the European Union has a veto on another country joining.

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(Image: BBC/ITV)

"That is a fact, and the fact that the Leave campaign are getting things as straightforward as this wrong should call in to question their whole judgment in making the bigger argument about leaving the EU.

"It is not remotely on the cards that Turkey is going to join the EU any time soon. They applied in 1987.

"At the current rate of progress they will probably get round to joining in about the year 3000 according to the latest forecasts."

It came after an astonishing exchange between Ms Mordaunt and political interviewer Andrew Marr today on the BBC.

She was forced to deny "dog-whistle" campaigning over Vote Leave's claims Turkey could send millions of people to Britain from 2020.

"This referendum is going to be our last chance to have a say on that," she said. "We're not going to be consulted or asked to vote on whether we think those countries or others should join.

"They are going to join."

Told the well-known fact Britain has a veto over new members over EU, she claimed: "No it doesn't. WE are not going to be able to have a say. The British people aren't going to be able to have a say."

Told again, she said: "No. We, I do not think the EU is going to keep Turkey out. I think it's going to join. I think the migrant crisis is pushing it more that way."

(Image: REUTERS/Umit Bektas)

James McGrory, Chief Campaign Spokesman for Britain Stronger in Europe, said: "Penny Mordaunt should be ashamed of herself for telling such outrageous fibs on national TV.

"Britain and every other country in the EU has a veto on whether Turkey should join and she would do well to listen to Boris Johnson, who is clear it’s not going to happen in the foreseeable future."

Hilary Benn MP, Labour's Foreign Secretary, 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.

(Image: Getty)

"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. "

Former Tory Foreign Secretary Sir Malcolm Rifkind said: "Turkey simply will not join the EU anytime soon.

"In thirty years of negotiations, they have completed just one of the 35 tests they need to fulfil to apply to join.

(Image: Getty)

"Every EU country, including Britain, has a veto on any new country joining."

Yet the Prime Minister refused to answer directly a question on whether Ms Mordaunt should be fired.

He said: "Her responsibilities are in the Ministry of Defence, she is doing a very good job.

"But on this question of whether of not we have a veto, the Leave campaign are wrong."

The row this morning came after the PM met ASDA staff to warn Brexit would hit the family shopping by £220 a year.