Paddy Ashdown (1941 – 2018)

“But the thing I admired most in him is that rarest of gifts – a politician without an ounce of cynicism”

~ Nick Clegg

Ex-LibDem leader Paddy Ashdown died yesterday, having only been diagnosed with bladder cancer very recently.  He was mourned by politicians of all shades and persuasions, as a generally good egg in the world of politics.

Birth Chart

Paddy had the birth chart of a leader, with Ascendant in Leo and Sun sextile the Midheaven.  His early years saw him begin a career in the Royal Navy as a marine (Sun in Pisces), and there is also a strongly martial side to his birth chart (Sun sextile closely Mars; Mars trine Midheaven, a military career; Mercury sextile Mars conferring good motor skills and co-ordination; while Mars trine Jupiter conferred endless energy and enthusiasm’ Mars square the Nodal Axis, martial karma).  He called himself “the Action Man of politics”.  The desire for balance, which eventually saw him take the helm as the leader of the LibDems, comes from his exact conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn (in Taurus).

Career

Paddy Ashdown was originally affiliated to the Labour Party, then switched to the Liberal Party in 1975.  At the 1983 election, he won the seat of Yeovil and became a Liberal M.P.  The Liberals merged with the Social Democrats in 1988 and formed the Social and Liberal Democrats (which later became the Liberal Democrats, then the LibDems) and Paddy became the first leader of the new party.  Under his leadership, the party grew and thrived (by the time of the 1997 election they had gained 46 seats).

There was a blip, which did not affect the flow of his career, in 1992, when it was revealed that he had had an affair 5 years earlier with his secretary.  Saturn was square his Jupiter/Saturn/Midheaven at the time, and Pluto was opposite his Uranus in 10th House of Reputation.

He spent 11 years as leader and announced his resignation on 20th January 1999, with Jupiter trine his Chiron in Cancer in 12th House of Retirement.  Uranus was square his Midheaven (a change of course in his life) and Neptune was opposite his Pluto in 12th House (deep psychological change).

He continued to be an influence in his party, and on 27th May 2002 became the High Representative for Bosnia and Herzegovina.  His transits at that time were Neptune (his ruling planet) squaring  his natal Jupiter/Saturn/Midheaven in 9th House: a complex foreign mission. Pluto was also trine his Ascendant, from his 5th House cusp; a new (and challenging) phase of  his life and work, but one where he made a difference.

At the beginning of the results show at the 2015 general election he was being interviewed and said he would eat his hat if the exit poll was correct.  The following day he was presented with a chocolate hat, which he did duly eat.

His Passing

He died yesterday, with Mars on his natal Moon in Pisces in 8th House, and Saturn trine  his Jupiter/Saturn/Midheaven in 9th House, a journey to pastures new.

Among the accolades he received, was Tony Blair’s tribute: “He was motivated by values of compassion, decency and a profound commitment to make the world a better place”.

“Paddy Ashdown was an advocate for those others forgot, full of courage, integrity and immensely gifted.  He served the people of the Balkans with passion and inspiration, an agent of reconciliation.”

~ Justin Welby