Nigel Farage has been dealt an embarrassing blow after a Reform UK councillor who claims to have “psychic abilities” and previously sold tarot readings on OnlyFans defected to UKIP, his former party.
Amelia Randall, who was elected to Kent County Council in May’s historic local elections that saw Reform UK seize control of the authority, has quit the party to join UKIP, according to KentOnline. The defection comes just months after Reform secured a commanding majority on the council and days after Ms Randall was photographed with prominent Conservatives at Reform’s Birmingham conference.
The councillor, who represents the Birchington and Rural division in Thanet, was also Reform’s parliamentary candidate for Herne Bay and Sandwich at the 2024 general election. Her departure reduces Reform’s Kent County Council majority from 57 to 56 seats, though the party maintains overwhelming control of the 81-member authority.
Psychic Services and OnlyFans History
Ms Randall’s colourful background includes claims to have been “part of an international psychic line for years” and running a business offering spiritual services. On her personal website, she advertises “psychic readings with and without tarot cards,” as well as “candle magic,” “numerology forecasts” and “angel harmony readings.”
In 2019, she reportedly sold spells for up to £200 on Facebook whilst offering “mystic psychic readings” for £14.99 on a now-deleted OnlyFans page. The subscription platform, primarily known for adult content, saw an influx of alternative practitioners during the pandemic as psychics and tarot readers sought new revenue streams.
On her about.me profile, Ms Randall describes her spiritual practice: “I do psychic readings with and without tarot cards and Angel Harmony readings. I also do numerology forecasts and am learning astrology. Candle Magic is also something I like to do. Every Christmas I do a spell of hope at an altar that I make, for anyone who needs a moment’s inspiration.”
Calls for By-Election
Liberal Democrat councillor Antony Hook, leader of the opposition on Kent County Council, immediately called for Ms Randall to resign her seat and trigger a by-election. “We are just months after the election and Ms Randall has switched parties,” he said. “She should resign so that Birchington residents can make a fresh choice in a by-election about who they want to represent them.”
The defection is particularly awkward given that Ms Randall was still posting on social media platform X in support of Reform UK as recently as 4 September and attended the party’s conference in Birmingham last weekend, where she posted pictures of herself with former Conservative Cabinet minister Sir Jacob Rees-Mogg.
Reform’s Historic Victory Under Threat
Reform UK achieved a stunning victory in May’s Kent County Council elections, winning 57 of 81 seats and ending nearly three decades of Conservative control. The party won every seat in the Ashford, Dartford, Dover, Gravesham and Thanet districts, with the Conservatives losing 52 seats in what outgoing leader Roger Gough described as “apocalyptic” results.
The local elections saw Reform UK win control of 10 councils nationwide for the first time in the party’s history, with the party winning 677 seats (41% of the total) across England. Political analysts Colin Rallings and Michael Thrasher estimated that Reform would have won 32% of the national vote if elections had been held everywhere.
A Reform UK spokesman responded to the defection with measured words: “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.
UKIP’s Current State
UKIP, which Farage led until 2016, is now headed by Nick Tenconi, the COO of Turning Point UK. The party’s website states: “We are the party of the patriotic, working class and believe Christianity should be put back into the heart of government.”
The defection represents a minor victory for UKIP, which has struggled for relevance since Farage’s departure and the rise of the Brexit Party (now Reform UK). At its peak under Farage’s leadership, UKIP won the 2014 European Parliament elections and secured two MPs through defections, but the party has since declined dramatically.
Questions About Commitment
The defection has raised questions about Ms Randall’s commitment to her constituents. In March 2025, during the election campaign, she had posted on Facebook about a “four-year plan” to move to London, stating: “I think my 4yr plan should be to move nearer to London, find work in greater London and then stand in the London Assembly Elections. I just have to prove to my boys that Hertfordshire is a great place with more opportunities and better than Kent!”
When challenged about this at the time, Ms Randall defended herself, saying: “If I want to move away I would have to find a way to make another place look better. Not an easy job hence the exclamation mark at the end. It will be hard to do because Kent is a great place. There is also nothing wrong with me having future plans.”
Reform’s Broader Challenges
The defection comes as Reform UK faces scrutiny over its rapid growth and the quality of some of its candidates. The party has withdrawn the whip from another Kent councillor who is facing criminal charges, reducing their effective majority further.
Despite these challenges, Reform UK’s leadership in Kent represents a seismic shift in British local politics. The party chose Linden Kemkaran, who had not been a councillor prior to the election, as their group leader, signalling a complete break from traditional political establishments.
Ms Randall has been contacted for comment but has not yet responded to requests for her reasons for defecting to UKIP.
The timing of the defection, coming so soon after Reform’s conference and whilst the party is riding high in national polls, will be particularly galling for Farage as he attempts to position Reform UK as a serious alternative to the major parties ahead of potential future elections.
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