Turkey not ready to join EU, says Chancellor

George Osborne has raised the prospect of Britain blocking Turkey's accession to the European Union.


The Government is also "absolutely clear" that it would prevent Turks moving to the UK if the country joins the 28-member block with high levels of poverty, the Chancellor said.


It follows an outline deal between the EU and Turkey that will see the country take back migrants who manage to make it across the Aegean to Greece.


In return Ankara is seeking a doubling of EU funding to £4.6bn - including about £500m from the UK - a relaxation of visa requirements for Turkish nationals and faster progress on accession talks. But a ComRes poll has found that half the UK public are opposed to Turkey joining the EU.


Mr Osborne told BBC1's Andrew Marr Show: "We have made it clear that we will not accept new member states to the EU and give them unfettered free movement of people unless their economies are much closer in size and prosperity to ours. I don't, frankly, think Turkish accession is on the cards any time soon."

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