Reform UK KCC councillor ‘defects to UKIP’
A Reform UK county councillor serving Thanet has defected to UKIP.
A statement from Reform UK headquarters confirmed Cllr Amelia Randall had left the party with their good wishes.
But opposition leader at Kent Councty Council (KCC) Antony Hook called for Cllr Randall, who was elected in May inthe Birchington and Rural division, to resign and call a by-election.
Cllr Randall was still posting on X in support of Reform UK on September 4 and is understood to have attended the party conference at the weekend.
The party still has 55 of 81 councillors at County Hall, having withdrawn the whip of another member who is facing criminal charges.
Cllr Hook said: “We are just months after the election and Ms Randall has switched parties.
“She should resign so that Birchington residents can make a fresh choice in a by-election about who they want to represent them.”
UKIP was once led by Reform’s leader Nigel Farage, although he has no connection with the party as it is today.
Led by Nick Tenconi, the UKIP website states: “We are the party of the patriotic, working class and believe Christianity should be put back into the heart of government.”
Cllr Randall, who was elected to the division alongside fellow Reform member Luke Evans, was approached for a comment.
A Reform UK spokesman said: “We’ve been informed that Cllr Randall has left Reform. We wish her well for the future.
“Reform UK continues to have the overwhelming majority of councillors on Kent County Council. We remain committed to our mission of delivering for our residents and ensuring Nigel Farage becomes Britain’s next Prime Minister.”