THE saga of the rotating leadership of Ukip continues, with candidates hoping to become the party’s fourth leader in just over a year to face questions from party members in Newport tomorrow.

Newport’s Ukip group has arranged a leadership hustings event at the Neon for party members, with four candidates confirming their attendance.

Nigel Farage quit the month after last year’s EU referendum, having had a previous attempt to stand down after the 2015 General Election blocked by party members, and was succeeded by Diane James. But just two and a half weeks later Mr Farage was back in the saddle after Ms James had a change of heart about her leadership ambitions.

The reigns were handed over to Paul Nuttall in November last year, but he too quit in June following what was by all accounts a disastrous General Election result, which saw the party’s vote collapse across the UK.

In a change of tune, Mr Farage hasn’t thrown his hat into the ring this time, giving a number of councillors and former election candidates the chance to step into the spotlight.

Among them are ex-Gloucestershire councillor Ben Walker, London Assembly member David Kurton, former Parliamentary candidate David Allen and director of Sharia Watch UK Anne Marie Waters, who has come under criticism for her perceived strongly anti-Islam views, all of whom will take the stage at the Neon tomorrow evening.

The event is open to party members only, but I’ll be there reporting a full run-down of what happens, and you’ll have the chance to join the party at the event if you’re so inclined.

l There's no doubt serving a police officer is one of the most thankless jobs around, let alone being the man or woman in charge of them.

But it was still something of a shock to learn only one candidate had come forward for the role of new chief constable of Gwent Police.

Perhaps more worryingly, previous holder of the role Jeff Farrar was the only candidate when he was appointed to the job in 2013, and his predecessor Carmel Napier was the sole candidate for interview in 2010.

Gwent might not be the most glamorous place to work in the UK, but surely there would be more people interested in what is a fairly powerful and influential role, not to mention the fairly hefty £138,504 paycheque?

I know almost nothing about the inner workings of a police force, so maybe chief constable is a notoriously difficult job, or one in mired in bureaucracy.

Or perhaps the majority of police officers would rather be out on the streets than stuck behind a desk.

Sole applicant Julian Williams has been serving as Mr Farrar’s deputy since December last year and I’ve no reason to doubt he’s up to the job. But the lack of competition is at best worrying, at worst deeply undemocratic.

l Meanwhile across the pond the Trump administration continues to descend into utter farce, as Anthony Scaramucci, the second White House press secretary in eight months, was fired after just 10 days in the job.

It hardly spoke volumes about his ability to do the job when just days into his new appointment he made a mistake even the most inexperienced of press officers wouldn’t have, and launched into a foul-mouthed tirade about his colleagues while talking to a reporter, for some reason assuming it wouldn’t be printed.

Aside from robbing journalists and headline-writers of an almost endless supply of Bohemian Rhapsody jokes, this isn't exactly a shining example of the Trump administration's hiring practices.

As bills are repeatedly blocked and election promises broken while the president himself seems more inclined to bang on about what’s on telly than actually getting on with running a country, even those who voted for Trump must be wondering if they made the right choice.

Lest we forget, in an episode in 2000 The Simpsons made a joke about Trump becoming president, the writers no doubt confident something so ridiculous would never come to pass.

Just 16 years later that’s the reality we’re living in.

If we’re going to start taking inspiration for society from fiction, can we veer more towards Star Trek and away from Mad Max, please.