The Prime Minister said it was "not remotely on the cards" after Penny Mordaunt, the Armed Forces Minister, claimed Turkey is set to join the EU in the next eight years and the UK will be unable to veto the move.

He joked that Turkey is on course to join the EU in the year 3000 on its current rate of progress, as he launched a brutal attack on one of his own ministers.

Mr Cameron described Ms Mordaunt's claims that Britain had no veto over Turkish accession to the 28-member bloc as "misleading" and "absolutely wrong".

Pressed on whether she was qualified to remain in government, the Prime Minister told ITV's Peston on Sunday: "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."