EU states have struck a deal with Turkey to try and tackle migrant crisis

Nigel Farage warned plans to allow Turkey's 75million citizens into the UK was 'bordering on insanity'

Britain faces the spectre of another wave of mass migration after Brussels bureaucrats opened the gates of Europe to Turkey's 75million citizens.

Plans to allow Turks access to EU visas – in exchange for their country's help with the Syrian migration crisis – were branded as 'bordering on insanity' last night. Ukip leader Nigel Farage warned the deal – a possible precursor to Turkey becoming a full EU member – could result in even more pressure on UK schools and hospitals.

He added that Turkey was 'too big, too poor and too different from us culturally' to be in the EU. But Turkey's hardline president, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, demanded membership as the price for stemming the tide of refugees pouring over his country's borders into Europe.

In exchange for the visa deal and £2.2billion in aid – which could include up to £260million from the UK – Mr Erdogan will step up border controls, tackle people-smuggling gangs and re-admit failed asylum seekers who had entered Europe from Turkey. Late on Thursday night at a summit in Brussels, EU officials agreed to speed up talks on visas allowing Turks into the EU's border-free Schengen Zone, which could come into effect as soon as next year.

This would not automatically allow access to the UK, but could still fuel black market immigration to Britain.

Yesterday, as Mr Erdogan held the continent to ransom over the migration crisis, with the demand of three billion euros (£2.2billion) in aid, EU officials announced they would 're-energise' membership negotiations with Turkey. 

But critics said any deal on visas, or further moves toward handing the Turks EU citizenship, would only swap the prospect of two million Syrian refugees arriving from Turkey, with the threat of its 75million citizens being given the chance to pour in.

Daily Mail