Yorkshire MP would like to take Trump for a curry

Naz Shah, MP for Bradford West, said she would take him for a curry and show him religious places to challenge his views.

She said Mr Trump is a “demagogue” who “panders to people’s fears”, adding: “I, as a Member of Parliament for Bradford West, would give an open invitation to Donald Trump to visit my constituency.

“And the reason I’d give him an open invitation to visit my constituency is I’d take him to the synagogue, I’d take him to the church, I’d take him to the mosques, I’d invite him for a curry - we are curry capital of Britain.

“I’d welcome him and I would have a conversation with him and challenge him on his views.”

She was speaking in a debate among MPs in Westminster Hall prompted by a petition signed by 570,000 people calling for Mr Trump to be barred from the UK, arguing there must be action against “hate speech” regardless of a person’s wealth or power.

The tycoon, who wants to be the next Republican president, sparked widespread anger after he demanded a block on Muslims entering the US and claimed parts of London were “so radicalised” police were “afraid for their own lives”.

Conservative Philip Davies said it was “absolutely ridiculous” to try to ban Mr Trump and likened himself to the “straight talking”, divisive figure.

The Shipley MP said: “Mr Trump has been waging a one-man campaign against political correctness for some time and as someone who has had their own campaign against political correctness for some time in this parliament, nobody will be surprised to hear that I can relate to that.”

Mr Davies said he disagreed with Mr Trump’s view on imposing a ban on Muslims travelling to the US but told MPs an opinion poll showed 24% of people backed the comments, rising to 35% in the north.

He added: “He is not a serious threat of harm to our society in any way. The uproar is largely because he is rich, white and politically incorrect.”

Gavin Newlands (Paisley and Renfrewshire North) said Mr Trump should be allowed to the UK so he can be challenged on his views.

“Let him debate all of these issues and he will soon be found out for what he is, an idiot,” the SNP MP said.

Conservative Kwasi Kwarteng (Spelthorne) said bans on the basis of race had been proposed “many times” in the history of the United States and warned that a ban would be a “spectacular own goal”.

He said: “If the United Kingdom were to ban Donald J Trump from coming to Britain, that would be the biggest boost for his campaign in America we could possibly give.”

Mr Kwarteng said the UK could be left in the “insane” position of banning a US president if Mr Trump wins the contest.

“People who say he has no chance of becoming president, look at the odds on Jeremy Corbyn, the leader of the Opposition,” he added.

Conservative Sarah Wollaston (Totnes) said a ban would “send a very clear message” to the US about people who “demonise an entire people for no reason other than their religion”.

The three-hour debate did not involve a vote of MPs.