Donald Trump has claimed the UK is “trying hard to disguise their massive Muslim problem”.

The statement from the controversial Republican hopeful is the latest log on a bonfire of remarks that have brought almost wall-to-wall press coverage and near-international condemnation.

More than 400,000 people signing a petition asking parliament to ban Trump from entering the UK, after he called for a “complete shutdown” on Muslim immigration to the US on Monday.

He also said parts of London and Paris were “so radicalised” many police officers were “afraid for their very lives” when they entered.

The Metropolitan Police issued a statement flatly contradicting Trump’s remarks, noting: “We would not normally dignify such comments with a response, however, on this occasion we think it’s important to state to Londoners that Mr Trump could not be more wrong.”

Columnist Katie Hopkins, once condemned by the United Nations for describing refugees as “cockroaches”, also praised Trump’s remarks. She claimed Britain was "a radicalised nation and it does nobody any favours to deny the obvious"

Trump, 69, long considered an outside chance at the US presidency, has confounded pundits with his ability to profit in the polls from gaffes that would have derailed other candidates’ campaigns.