Two people who will be watching the news a little nervously this weekend are UKIP’s Chairman Ben ‘Rogue Builder’ Walker and Nick ‘The Kick’ Tenconi, the brace of convicted criminals who run the party.

They have been going about with a bit of a spring in their step recently, since news came from across the water that Elon Musk looked like abandoning Nigel Farage, claiming that the Reform leader wasn’t up to the job. This, of course, might well jeopardise the $100 million bung that Musk was reported to be considering sending Reform’s way.

The crim twins had this wild idea that maybe they could profit from Musk’s largesse instead, not least of all because of the threesome they have now formed with another criminal, the vile Tommy Robinson, aka Stephen Yaxley Lennon.

Musk has recently been showing great affection for Y-L, and the UKIP leadership thought this might be leveraged to their advantage. They wouldn’t even want the entire $100 million. Just a paltry $10 mill would do very nicely…

And, accordingly, they addressed him directly online (above) with a not-at-all subtle plea for support – and dosh.

However, Farage is stateside this weekend (when is he anywhere else?) and is meeting Musk in an effort to prove his worth and repair bridges. And, hopefully, come back with a fat cheque, or at least the promise of one. We all await with bated breath. As do the UKIP crims.

Meanwhile, more oddities emerge about UKIP’s internal democracy and constitutional proprieties. Nick Tenconi, you will recall, has only ever been the party’s interim leader, appointed without election by the NEC after the abrupt departure of (elected) leader Lois Perry during the general election campaign. Obviously, an interim leader can’t be interim for ever, and a recent NEC meeting resolved to regularise the situation.

It was decided that an election would be concluded on 6 March, which would coincide with an extension which they have afforded to Tenconi as leader. The election would be announced to the members on 6 January.

Ah, but wait a minute. Other than buried in the minutes themselves, you can rummage as much you will amongst the detritus that comprises the UKIP website, and, two weeks later, you will find no such announcement. Curious.

With a non-refundable candidates fee of £3000 the bar is being set pretty high for willing souls to come forward, so much so that it is being rumoured that this requirement is being waived in the case of Tenconi. So, our money is on there being but one candidate (guess who) and hence no need for anything as inconvenient as an election.

Interestingly, candidates will have also to be able to show UKIP membership of at least 6 months, which is rather more than either Perry, or  Tenconi, could boast when they assumed the leadership.

Well, it is UKIP, after all…