General Election 2019

So… we have a pre-Christmas election date, of 12th December.  Will this election be fought on the sole issue of Brexit?  I thought I would take a brief look at the chart for that date, and the transits for the leaders of the various political parties.

Notice how often Neptune (confusion) comes up in the transits…

Chart for December 12th

The main astrological feature of the day is the Full Moon at 19 degrees Gemini, depicting emotions at full flood and in two minds.  If the aim of the election is clarity (in order to move out of the current stagnation of a hung parliament), then Neptune’s T-square with the opposition of the Sun and Moon highlights, if not increases, the confusion.  It is an intriguing, if not alarming, prospect.

Half the planets (5) will be in Earth signs, and 4 of those in Capricorn (a Conservative sign).  Perhaps that tips the balance towards the Conservatives.  Venus squares Saturn, conveying a disappointing, dispiriting feeling.  Mars trine exactly Neptune may bring spiritual warfare, but as it is a positive aspect there may be some soothing.  Certainly Jupiter trine exactly Uranus offers at the same time, fresh hope.  So very mixed emotions, reflecting the many faces of attitudes to Brexit and what should happen next.  Jupiter will be exactly square Chiron, so some unrealistic hopes are among them.  We are inexorably edging closer to the Saturn-Pluto conjunction which occurs on 12th January, a culmination of our difficulties, and where I have birth charts with birth times/Ascendants I can pinpoint which House this conjunction will occupy.  [I will write more about its personal effects nearer the time]

Transits for the Prime Minister

Is Boris going to “get Brexit done”?   He needs more Conservative MPs on his deck in order to secure his deal, and so we find ourselves in the throes of a December election (a phenomenon not seen since 1923).  He has refused an alliance with Nigel Farage and the Brexit Party (as recommended by their mutual friend Donald Trump) so he risks the Brexit vote being split.

We have the benefit of knowing his birth time, and one small point I have noted on reviewing his chart is that he has Neptune in his 2nd House of Finance natally.  This would account for the lavish luxuries of the Garden Bridge project, and the Water Cannons, that he engaged with during his time as London Mayor.  It may also depict his extravagant claims to bring back the 20,000 police which the Tories axed, and other financial promises.  To be fair, the Labour Party are also promising the earth financially.  I wonder how quickly we will forget austerity…

Boris’ transits at the time of the December election are quite reasonable: Chiron from Aries in his 6th House sextiles his natal Mars in Gemini in 8th House, he’ll be feeling strong.  Mars from Scorpio in his 2nd House will oppose his natal Jupiter in Taurus in 8th House, he’ll be feeling optimistic.  Neptune from Pisces in his 6th House will be sextile his natal Jupiter in Taurus in 8th House, a magic wand is not out of the question for him.  Mars will be on his natal Neptune in Scorpio in 2nd House, inflaming his spiritual will, and also his desire to spend, spend, spend.  Neptune from Pisces in his 6th House will be trine his natal Neptune in  his 2nd House, he will be at peace with himself.  Luck may be on his side.

Which House will the Saturn-Pluto conjunction occupy for the forthcoming Saturn-Pluto debacle?  It falls in his 4th House of Home and Family.  There may be more fallings-out with his siblings around 12th January, as well as repercussions for Brexit, whether deal or no deal.

Transits for the Labour leader

Sadly, we do not have a birth time for Jeremy Corbyn.  There is a fierce debate as to whether he is an asset to the Labour Party or a liability.  He loves campaigning, and is inspiring when he talks about equality, defending the vulnerable, and a fairer society: on these issues, his values are sound.  But he is more passionate about the Palestinian question than in dealing with anti-semitism in his party, and that could cost him dear: he is not even-handed in this area (e.g. he refused to visit the Holocaust memorial when in Israel).  Shadow Chancellor John McDonnell was most contrite on this issue on the Andrew Marr show this morning.  There are many wonderful middle-of-the-road Labour MPs who risk deselection under the current regime, and his party is no more united than the Tories.  If we deplore the decade of austerity handed out by the Tories, and want to reverse the rich and poor divide, then Jeremy may yet be our best hope, for the Conservatives have shown that they do not care, and are happy to feather their own nests privately (I do not need to list those top Tories).

What do his transits show for the December election?  Neptune squares his natal Mercury: that shows continuing confusion and fogginess surrounding him.  Neptune also squares his natal Venus, so he may be conflicted in his feelings (wondering whether he should stand down; possibly concerned about his own health and stamina).  Saturn trine his natal Mars, which will help shore him up for the gruelling contest and its denouement.  Chiron will be sextile his natal Jupiter (again, giving him heart and hope). But Mars will be square his natal Pluto, and that could put him in a dangerous position.  His personal transits are not as strong as Johnson’s.

Transits for the LibDem leader

Jo Swinson, newly elected as leader of the LibDem Party, has chosen the extreme stance of branding her party the Remain party.  However comforting for Remainers to have a home to go to (and I am one myself) it does not solve the problem that over half the country voted for Brexit, and we can’t reverse that.  People are passionate enough now, but that would be magnified if we tried to change course now.  The best we can hope for as remainers is a soft Brexit, one with a closer alliance with our European neighbours.  However, Jo’s party is on a roll at the moment, collecting defectors from left, right and centre (Remainers can come from any of these positions!)  And the LibDems did well in the council elections, to the dismay of both the Conservatives and the Labour Party.  However, the astrological picture is not as encouraging as she might hope for: Mars squares her natal Sun (putting her, like Jeremy, in danger).  The level of trolling of politicians, especially female politicians, has recently caused several top female politicians to resign in order to protect their family lives.  Pluto also squares her natal Pluto, which too is alarming.    At the time she was elected leader, I wrote:

” The contest officially began on 24th May. Jupiter was transiting her natal Neptune (opportunity for her dream job?!) and Jupiter sextiled her natal Pluto (the opportunity to seize power!)  Sounds perfect.  The new leader will take over on 23rd July, and at that time Jupiter will be exactly sextile her natal Sun (success in a contest!).  However, Pluto also squares her natal Pluto, so she will learn all about the challenges of Power.”

So Pluto was already square her natal Pluto when she took the reins, and she has been clear and firm, undaunted by the challenge of Pluto square Pluto.

Transits for the leader of SNP

As with the Irish, I feel that the Scots have been very much shortchanged and overlooked by Westminster in the process of trying to leave Europe.  The Scots voted to remain, after voting to stay in the Union, and are now being left to put up with choices made in parliament.  The Scottish National Party are now in favour of holding this election in the hope that they may gain more power.  In the resignation of Ruth Davidson, who was leader of the Scottish Conservatives, they may indeed gain many seats, as Jeremy Corbyn is not popular in Scotland.  Their leader Nicola Sturgeon hopes for more autonomy for Scotland and would like a second referendum for leaving the Union (but staying in the E.U.!).  Saturn closely trines her Saturn at polling day, so she could make significant gains.  This trine perfects on Boxing Day, which may be an important time for her.  We do have her birth time, and know that the Saturn-Pluto conjunction occupies her 3rd House of Communication on 12th January, and she may feel hidebound in her efforts to get her message across at that time.

Transits for the Green Party

Caroline Lucas is no longer the leader of the Green Party, but is their only MP.  I will also look at the co-leaders, Jonathan Bartley and Sian Berry.

The Green Party are still a growing force (they did well in the Council elections) and the prominence of Greta Thunberg on behalf of environmental issues has helped their cause.  Caroline is high in integrity, and her cause, climate welfare, should be the most important cause of all.  On election day, she will be close to her Solar Return (as a Sagittarian); Chiron will be trine her Mercury, so she’ll be eloquent and there will be a healing perspective to her words.  Neptune will be trine her natal Mars, so her actions will inspire (she has been known to be a hands on activist against fracking).  And the South Node will be on her Jupiter, which if she were an egotistical politician it could be her undoing, but standing up for the planet as she does must be good karma…

Jonathan Bartley will have Chiron trine his Neptune, so he will be on message.

Sian Berry has Neptune trine her Sun, so she will be generally at one with her message, and purpose in life.  However, like Jeremy she will have Neptune square her Venus, and there will be conflicting feelings in some area of her life (possibly in personal relationships). Again, note the all pervading theme of Neptune in people’s lives on election day.

Transits for Brexit Party

Nigel took a seat to be interviewed on the Andrew Marr show this morning.  He insisted (having been rebuffed by Boris over the suggestion they unite which came from Donald Trump) that Boris’ deal was not a proper Brexit.  He proposes to field candidates for his Brexit Party all over the land, so as to obfuscate the mandate that Boris and his party seeks.  If he were to do so, he would be damaging both parties.  However, as they said on the couch this morning he is “Mr Brexit” and the architect of the whole dilemma.  Nevertheless, he is very upbeat on election day, with Jupiter trine his natal Mercury.  This is a man who has Pluto on his Ascendant natally, keeps coming back, and even crash landed in a light plane one election day.  Uranus will be on his natal Mercury, which could produce a shock, but may avail him of that enterprising Jupiter-Uranus trine of election day, so he could end up a power broker.  The transits for the Brexit Party (founded on 20th January this year) are also dominated by Neptune.  Neptune squares the Jupiter in its chart (highlighting its illusions currently), and Mars will trine its Neptune on election day, fuelling its fervour.  Many Brexiteers fed up with all the prevarication are drawn to its extreme message.

Transits for UKIP

At this time, UKIP is almost a spent force, continually losing leaders.  Neptune will be opposing its Mercury (more confusion, even if just about who is the leader), and Saturn will be on its Neptune, squashing hopes and dreams.  It could could be finished for this incarnation…

Transits for the U.K. Chart

Working with two possible charts for the U.K., both with birth times:

1922 chart – Neptune square its Mercury in Sagittarius in 7th House (again, Confusion!).  North Node will be  trine its Jupiter in Scorpio in 5th House (some karmic uplift) and North Node will be trine its Uranus in Pisces in 10th House (karmic change).  The True North Node will be  close to its Pluto in Cancer in 2nd House (very fateful) which peaked when Boris Johnson took the issue back to parliament last Monday.  The Mean North Node in the same transit will peak on 16/7 November, which may also be quite fateful.  The Saturn-Pluto conjunction of January 12th 2020, which may see the consequences of all we are going through, is placed in the 8th House of shared resources.

1801 chart – The Mean  South Node will be close to its natal Sun, peaking 15th November, in Capricorn conjunct MC in 9th House, similarly timing to the 1922 chart for the fateful moment, while the True South Node equivalent transit, also as with the 1922 chart peaked when Boris Johnson took the issue back to parliament last Monday. So mid-November could be crucial.  Chiron trines the Jupiter of this chart in Leo in 4th House at the time of the election, which is a healing possibility.  12th December has a plethora of astrological influences:  Jupiter square its Uranus in Libra in 6th House (surprises); Chiron from 12th House opposes its Uranus (crisis);  Jupiter sextile its Pluto in Pisces in 11th House (good for sorting out power struggles); Saturn sextiles its Neptune in Scorpio in 7th House (calmer waters) and  Uranus sextile its Pluto in Pisces in 11th House (profound changes for society).  Which House will the Saturn-Pluto conjunction occupy on 12th January for that chart? The 9th House of Foreign Relations.

Conclusion

Andrew Marr said this morning that no one could claim to know what will happen, this election being so close to call.  The overwhelmingly Neptunian aspects bears out the theme of confusion, so there will need to be a lot of fine tuning, alliances and coalitions most likely in yet another hung parliament.  But if the question is which leader has the better transits, that would most likely to be Boris Johnson.  Peace and certainty seem still to be distant, and January will bring new challenges, so the election will not bring instant solutions.

Aspects

The first aspect of the week, Pluto square Mars on Tuesday 5th November, is a bit of a jolt in our serene lives (!).  Stay out of the fray, unless you are an expert peaceful Warrior.  There may be political stand-offs  in the U.K. and the U.S. which may induce anger.

Save your best efforts for the end of the week which serves up a trio of  delicious desserts.  First off, on Friday (8th), the Sun sextiles Saturn:  practical initiatives are supported by this aspect.  It is a good aspect for setting up solid foundations, for instance.  It is also favourable for taking the reins of responsibility in your life.

An opposite but equally useful aspect occurs next, and that is the Sun trine Neptune: this favours heightening the spiritual inspiration behind your endeavours.  So together with Sun sextile Saturn, you have the best of both worlds!  Expand your consciousness, and allow your imagination to embellish your work, or project in hand.

Then on Saturday (9th) it all comes together, in a sextile between Saturn and Neptune, a major aspect.  You can easily bring together the practical and the spiritual under this aspect.  Environmental projects are especially enhanced by this combination.  We have been working on this major combination all year, and now is the chance to tie things up.

The week in bullet points:

  • Tuesday – conflict
  • Friday – constructive practicality and sublime spirituality
  • Saturday – bring everything together