David Cameron has insisted there is "no prospect" of the member states allowing Turkey to receive full European Union membership.

The Prime Minister told MPs that France wants to hold a referendum on Turkish membership of the EU, with 75% of the French public against the idea.

He added all member states have a veto at every stage of the process for any new country seeking to join, telling the Commons: "There's no prospect of the French allowing full Turkish membership of the EU."

Mr Cameron, appearing to reflect on the UK position, also said the issue of Turkey's accession is "not remotely on the cards" for "many, many years to come".

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Eurosceptic Conservatives sought to push Mr Cameron on the issue, amid fears Turkish membership of the EU would grant free movement to 77 million of its citizens.

The issue is becoming a key battleground ahead of June's EU referendum.

Speaking in the Commons, Tory former minister John Redwood (Wokingham) asked the PM: "Given the obvious difficulty in unifying the very varied economies and societies of the current EU, why is now a good time to accelerate possible Turkish membership?"

Mr Cameron replied: "I think the issue here is it's not remotely on the cards for this to happen for many, many years to come.

"Every country has a veto at every stage, including this country. The French, for instance, have said they will hold a referendum on Turkish membership and 75% of the French public don't want Turkey to join.

"But the process of applying and opening these chapters and going through things like press freedom and human rights, the independence of the judiciary and so on and suchlike, for many countries looking towards Europe it has been a good and useful process, and that's how we should see it."

Conservative Anne Main (St Albans) said the PM had sought to reassure Mr Redwood that Turkish accession was a long way off.

She asked: "Is this uncertainty what staying In looks like?"

Mr Cameron replied: "For any new accession, there's a veto by every country at every stage and the situation as I see it if you look at countries and I mention, for instance, France - there's no prospect of the French allowing full Turkish membership of the EU.

"So I think in this debate that we're having about Europe - and you and I unfortunately will be on opposite sides of the debate but it'll be a civilised debate, I promise - I want to try and get rid of any of the potential scares on any side of the argument.

"Let's argue about what's actually going to happen rather than things that aren't going to happen."

Conservative Philip Davies (Shipley) said the PM had reiterated the Government's support for Turkey becoming an EU member state.

He asked: "What assessment have you made of the effect on migration that there would be from Turkey into the long-term if they were to join, and any additional costs to the UK taxpayer in increased contributions to the EU if they were to join, or are you in favour of their accession to the EU at any price to the UK taxpayer?"

Mr Cameron replied: "I think what I said earlier is there's not a remote prospect of this happening, so I don't think you have to worry about it."

The PM said the Conservatives outlined in their 2015 general election manifesto a "much tougher" approach to new countries wanting to join the EU.

Conservative former minister Sir Edward Leigh (Gainsborough) said he had been left confused by the PM's answers.

He said: "The Government says it backs enthusiastically Turkey's accession to the EU, and yet apparently they announce something but wish for something else.

"So can you get these facts - we do want Turkey to join the EU, we do believe in free movement of people, we do want to stay in the EU and therefore we welcome 77 million Turks living and working here?"

Mr Cameron replied: "The answer to that is no because Turkey isn't part of the EU.

"Look, I know in this debate, which I know is going to get very passionate, people want to raise potential concerns in order to support their argument.

"But I have to say when it comes to Turkey being a member of the EU, this is not remotely in prospect.

"Every country has a veto at every stage. The French have said they're going to hold a referendum so let's talk in this debate about the things that are going to happen - not the things that are not going to happen.

"And if we stay in a reformed European Union, we keep our borders, we keep our right to set our own visa policy, we keep our own asylum and immigration policy, we can stop anyone we want to at our borders.

"Yes, we do believe in the free movement of people to go and live in other European countries - as many people in our own country do - but it's not an unqualified right."