In an article for this newspaper on February 26 2016 (’Donald not so much joker as a Trump card’), I argued that it was looking increasingly likely that Trump would defy all the odds to win the presidency because he was, “still standing, still winning and still defying expectations”.

Crucially — and it was a trend we were also seeing here during the run-up to the Brexit referendum — he was tapping into the ‘we’re-mad-as-hell-and-we’re-not-taking-it-anymore’ market; millions of voters who hadn’t voted for years because they didn’t think there was any hope of breaking the establishment’s grip on government.

But in the same way that the Leave campaign delivered an unexpected victory in June 2016, Trump delivered something similar that November. Two results that shook western democracy by opening the door to voters and parties who used to believe that the odds were permanently stacked against them.

• Alex Kane: Dismantling paramilitary structures should be sole role for Loyalist Communities CouncilOpens in new window
• Something is stirring in the Irish unity undergrowth – Alex KaneOpens in new window
• Only delivery can breathe new life into devolution – Alex KaneOpens in new window

Nigel Farage’s Reform UK kicked open another door — this time to the House........

© The Irish News