Gordon Brown

Gordon Brown announced this week that he would be standing down as an M.P.  This prompted an evaluation of his premiership, and speculation as to his place in history.

Speaking on Question Time,  Lib Dem M.P. Shirley Williams gave a spirited defence of Gordon Brown, revealing at the same time a great deal of integrity on her part.  She  is growing  old gracefully.  The panel and audience were very split on the subject, and several speakers acknowledged that never mind politicians, we can all be psychologically flawed.

As Andrew Rawnsley put it in the Observer this morning: “Friends  have talked about his large mind and formidable will.  Foes have focused on his brutishness to colleagues and volcanic temper”.

Scottish Referendum

I wrote in September, just before he made his famous speech which “saved” the Union:

“I must say, he has the best set of transits for the Referendum. This is intriguing because it flies in the face of all the rest of the astrological evidence… Maybe people will be patting him on the back for his efforts, and that constitutes a hope for the No campaign.”

Triumphs and Failures

On the one hand, Gordon Brown was a great Chancellor under Tony Blair’s government.  And when the great financial crash occurred in 2008, a worldwide phenomenon, he did much to stabilize the immediate crisis by bringing together heads of government all over the world.

On the other hand, he failed to impress as a Prime Minister, and was increasingly exposed as having an ungovernable temper towards the end of his time at No. 10, famously caught out in the election campaign calling a voter “bigoted” who had been expressing concerns about immigration.

He never seemed to get on to a sure footing when he came to power, after years  waiting in the wings as understudy to Blair.  There were several crises and dramas soon after he came to power, such as the bombing of Glasgow International Airport.

Aries and Pisces

I have long been fascinated by the shape of Gordon Brown’s birth chart.  Long before he made it to the office of Prime Minister, I used to say he was not suited to the post as he was an extreme introvert.  He has several planets in the introverted sign of Pisces including his Sun, and in the introverted 12th House (Jupiter, North Node, Mars and Venus).  His Aries Ascendant presents the gruff bear-like character for which he is criticized, which is his outward personality.  The very real charitable side, his Piscean nature, is well hidden.  But this shaping gives him a great deal of inner vision, and it is possible that this has inspired his resignation, among other things to support his charitable work.

I am not branding Aries the villain here and Pisces the hero.  I could have just as easily said his Aries strengths include plain talking, and his Piscean weaknesses include manipulation.  But my original portrayal is how I have felt the chart shaping plays out for him.  We all have contradictions in our charts, but Aries and Pisces are a particularly Jekyll and Hyde mix.

Transits of Change

At the time of his announcement of resignation,  Gordon Grown had positive indications of change in his chart.  Uranus (main planet of change, moving towards his Ascendant) was trine his natal Moon in the 4th House  (indicating lifestyle change);  Neptune  (his ruling planet) active in two respects, trine his natal Uranus (appetite for Change) and sextile exactly his natal Midheaven (careerpoint) indicating nebulous plans for his life direction, and greater charitable involvement.

Blair vs Brown

It is most ironic that, after all the feuding, and the impatient waiting to be Prime Minister, and then becoming Prime Minister and not making a great success of it, that Brown’s overall reputation in terms of legacy is turning out to be ahead of that of his rival Tony Blair, who is mainly remembered for taking us to war in Iraq.

Aspects

It’s not an eventful week on the aspect front, and what aspects there are,  are on the whole favourable.  The very worst of it is a change to retrograde motion by Jupiter, but we can live with that.

Tomorrow morning (8th) in the U.K., the Sun conjuncts Mercury in Sagittarius, which is a splendid start to the working  week.  If you have the week off to do Christmas shopping, then that should begin with a swing.  Merits of this aspect are focus, a go-ahead quality, and insight – all qualities which you can bring to your endeavours for the start of the day and week.  Bright prospects for the House, or area of life, occupied by 16 degrees Sagittarius.  Get that momentum going!

In the evening, plans may slow down or take a different turn, as Jupiter goes stationary prior to turning retrograde.  Perhaps a philosophy which has served you for a while is suddenly called into question.  You know how sometimes you are on a winning streak with a particular course of action or habitual practice, and then suddenly it doesn’t work, for no explicable reason?  You are being challenged to enlarge your philosophy, and perhaps change your strategy, and look for the deeper truth.

Venus enters Capricorn on Wednesday (10th) afternoon.  That warm expansive heart with which you bought early Christmas presents may suddenly grow more economically focussed as you realize that your purse won’t stretch as far as you’d like.  You will need to focus on quality rather than quantity, and  the thought will count a lot more.  You may be more inclined to give gifts that are ecological and environmentally sustainable.

It will be good news for Capricornians right the way through the month to 3rd January, as they will be feeling the Love.  If you are an early Capricorn, prepare to feel it this week, if a middle Capricornian you’ll be warmed to the cockles just before Christmas, and if born at the end of Capricorn New Year will be extra romantic.

Finally, late morning on Friday (12th) a wonderful trine between Mercury and Jupiter lights up our lives.  It is good for travel, and will be especially be good for retail outlets (forget Black Friday, it will be Gold or Silver).  Shoals of Christmas post will be arriving through your letter box, with communication being  a highly starred feature of this trine.  You may be wanting to Skype far away places, and flout the economic regime for a day which you began mid-week.  In fact, you could be in expansive mood until next Monday, when the next Uranus-Pluto square urges another look at what is going on.

Next Week: The Penultimate Uranus-Pluto square

The week in bullet points:

  • Today – Mental sparkle, and philosophical conjecture
  • Wednesday – new economic measures
  • Friday – business and sales thrive, and uplifting ideas