Nigel Farage says Donald Trump's policy of banning Muslim immigration to the US is 'a political mistake too far'

The Republican frontrunner had called for a total ban on Muslim immigration to America

Nigel Farage said Donald Trump had broadened political debate, however

Donald Trump’s comments about Muslim immigration to the US are “a political mistake too far,” Ukip’s leader has said.

When asked about Mr Trump’s comments Nigel Farage told BBC News that the UK had a “huge problem” but said the Republican presidential nomination contender had “gone too far”.

“I think Mr Trump’s somewhat knee-jerk reaction to this, saying that all Muslims should be banned from coming into America was perhaps for him a political mistake too far,” he told the new channel.

“I think with this comment he’s gone too far, I would expect people to say this look – this is unreasonable, because what you would be doing is punishing a lot of very good people because of the actions of a few.

Mr Trump, a billionaire businessman, is the early frontrunner to be the Republican Party’s candidate for president next year.

He leads his nearest rival Ben Carson by 30 per cent to 15 per cent in polling averages.

On Sunday night he called for a complete ban on Muslims entering the United States and claimed that many people of that religion nursed a “hatred” of the US.

“Donald J Trump is calling for a total and complete shutdown of Muslims entering the United States until our country’s representatives can figure out what the hell is going on,” he said, speaking of himself in the third person.

“We have no choice. We have no choice. According to Pew research, among others, there is a great hatred towards Americans by large segments of the Muslim population.”

The comments have been widely criticised and derided as racist across the political spectrum.

Mr Farage however said Mr Trump should not be excluded from the primary race because of the comments and listed some positive aspects of the businessman and entertainment personality’s candidacy.

“It doesn’t disqualify him, it’s up to people in open primaries to decide whether they think what he’s said was acceptable or not,” he said.

“He is somebody that keeps pushing the boundaries of debate and that can be a healthy thing in politics.”