A petition to ban Donald Trump from entering the UK last night became the most popular ever on Parliament’s website.

As of last night, more than 450,000 people had signed up to the call to ban the US presidential hopeful for hate speech in the wake of calls to ban Muslims from the US.

Started two weeks ago, before Trump’s comments that the US should bar all Muslims and that parts of the UK were no-go zones for police, it has comfortably passed the 100,000 threshold required to force the Commons to consider debating the issue.

However, until yesterday another petition demanding the UK close its borders had attracted almost as many signatures – but received less coverage in the media.

As of last night, more than 450,000 people had signed up to the call to ban the US presidential hopeful for hate speech in the wake of calls to ban Muslims from the US

A petition to ban Donald Trump from entering the UK last night became the most popular ever on Parliament’s website

This petition on Parliament’s website - called ‘Stop all immigration and close the UK borders until ISIS is defeated’ - had attracted 444,000 signatures as of 6pm.

But despite the interest created in the Trump petition, this one had been all but ignored by the liberal media and the BBC, which promoted the Trump petition via its BBC News Twitter account.

The petition refers to a warning in February from Dr Jamie Shea, Nato’s Deputy Assistant Secretary General for Emerging Security Challenges, that Islamic State terrorists might inflitrate Europe posing as Syrian refugees.

The petition was created last September, before the Paris attacks.

It was set up by Tina Reeves, 62, a copywriter who is originally from Plymouth but spends half the year at her holiday home in Jaén, Spain.

The petition says: ‘Allowing uncontrolled immigration and taking in these refugees potentially endangers the entire UK population. At any other time in our history this would be tantamount to a declaration of war and borders would be closed.’

The government has already responded and on petition website a Home Office spokesman wrote: ‘The UK government will not close Britain’s borders.

‘It will ensure access for legitimate travellers and trade whilst operating its borders securely to protect the public from the threat of terrorism.’

This petition on Parliament’s website - called ‘Stop all immigration and close the UK borders until ISIS is defeated’ - had attracted 444,000 signatures as of 6pm

Meanwhile the petition to ban Trump received prominent coverage by The Guardian and the BBC, which even provided an analysis of whether or not he could prohibited from entering the UK.

The Trump petition was set up by a Scottish woman who has said she is ‘pleasantly shocked’ by the amount of support it has received.

Suzanne Kelly, from Aberdeen, created it on Parliament’s website because she was appalled at Trump’s incendiary rhetoric.

She put it up on November 28, before Trump called for his ban on Muslims entering the US.

Kelly has long investigated Trump’s golfing development in Balmedie, Aberdeenshire, for community website Aberdeen Voice.

But she was moved to act after his anti-Muslim comments and calls for a database of everyone who worships Islam.

She told the Guardian: ‘The more I looked at Donald Trump and the remarks he has made before entering the presidential race, the more my hackles were rising. This man is no longer a joke in the corner, but someone who is aiming to become leader of one of the most powerful nations in the world,” she said.

‘There are few things a person in my position can do against a person like that but make use of this country’s wonderful laws and procedures. This petition also gives all those people who agree with me a platform to say we also disagree with hate speech.’

Her petition states: ‘The UK has banned entry to many individuals for hate speech. The same principles should apply to everyone who wishes to enter the UK.