A Polish prince who once challenged Nigel Farage to a duel has launched a new Polish political party in Britain to fight the forthcoming local elections.

Prince John Zylinski said that Duma Polska: Polish Pride would field up to 100 candidates in London in the elections in May.

He said the party would fight for the rights of Poles and other minorities with calls for all EU “newcomers” legally resident in the UK to be granted full British citizenship and for “Europhobia” to be declared a hate crime.

“The Poles are Britain’s closest allies. The Battle of Britain was being lost until the Polish pilots arrived. Yet we have virtually no political representation in the UK,” he said.

“I intend to fight for the rights all minorities. In my opinion, Nigel Farage and Ukip should be ashamed of the divisions that they have created within the UK, and I want all people to feel safe ahead of Brexit.

“I intend to field up to 100 candidates in targeted wards in London where candidates can win seats by polling little more than 2,000 votes.

“I believe we can achieve this by appealing not only to Poles, but by gaining broad support from all voters who back our call for respect for all minorities.”

Prince Zylinski, a property developer who unsuccessfully ran for London mayor in 2016, made headlines in 2015 when he issued a symbolic challenge to Mr Farage to fight a duel with swords in Hyde Park over the then Ukip leader’s comments on immigration.