A report from London on Wednesday said more than 170,000 people had signed a petition to ban Donald Trump from Britain for “hate speech” after his call for a ban on Muslims entering the United States.

The petition noted that Britain had already “banned entry to many individuals for hate speech.”
“If the United Kingdom is to continue applying the ‘unacceptable behaviour’ criteria to those who wish to enter its borders, it must be fairly applied to the rich as well as poor, and the weak as well as powerful.

The government was required to respond to any petition attracting more than 100,000 supporters and consider it for a parliamentary debate.

Meanwhile, Chancellor George Osborne told parliament that the call for ban was being rejected.

He said the best way to defeat the “nonsense’’ from Trump, was to engage in robust, democratic debate and make it very clear his views are not welcome.

“That is the best way to deal with Donald Trump and his views rather than trying to ban presidential candidates.’’

Osborne said Trump also angered British politicians and police by telling a U.S. broadcaster that part of London were “so radicalized that the police are afraid for their own lives.”

He said London’s police “do a brilliant job and of course they have fantastic relations with British Muslims.

Prime Minister David Cameron earlier said the U.S. presidential candidate’s statement was “divisive, unhelpful and quite simply wrong.’’

Boris Johnson, London Mayor, in reaction to Trump’s statement said his claim was “simply ridiculous.”

He said crime has been falling steadily both in London and in New York, and the only reason why he wouldn’t go to some parts of New York was the real risk of meeting Donald Trump.