A high-profile black member of Ukip has quit the party over claims he was a victim of racial discrimination from figures close to leader Nigel Farage.

Winston McKenzie, Ukip's former Commonwealth spokesman, accused the party of ignoring his bid to be chosen as a candidate for London Mayor and said he was being blocked from progressing in the party because of racism in the “higher echelons” of Ukip.

He told ITV News: "I'm incensed at the present moment because where I stand in UKIP, I feel as though I've been completely ignored, racially discriminated against by people in the higher echelons of the party.

"I'm talking about the leader's followers."

Mr McKenzie, a former boxer, is famed for having joined every major political party in the UK but never winning an election.

He most recently stood for Ukip in the 2012 Croydon North by-election, receiving 6 per cent of the vote.

However, he caused the party problems after organising a carnival in Croydon in the run up to the 2014 European Parliament elections that was swamped by protesters, prompting Mr Farage to cancel his planned appearance there.

A steel band he booked for the carnival refused to play once they discovered they would be playing at a Ukip event.

Mr McKenzie then branded Croydon “a dump” that was “unsafe”, in one of his many frank outbursts.

He was removed as Ukip’s Commonwealth spokesman earlier this year and replaced by Ukip MEP Jim Carver.

During his time in the role he likened Mr Farage to Jesus, saying he could “do no wrong”.

“Jesus was one man, we’re his army," he said.

"Farage is one man, and we’re his army and that’s what it’s all about.