Priti Patel

Priti Patel has been ruffling feathers since she took a seat at Boris Johnson’s cabinet table, but yesterday a senior civil servant, Sir Philip Rutnam, resigned at the Home Office under her regime.  Dominic Cummings, whose stated aim is to erode the powers of the civil service, may be rubbing his hands in satisfaction (although the two of them apparently do not get on).

Birth Chart

In 2017, I wrote:

“Priti Patel is an individualistic, uncompromising Aries, who was the poster girl for the Brexit campaign.  For reasons which are as yet unknown, she met privately with Israeli officials over the last few months, without official endorsement, and Theresa May has had to lean on her to resign this week.  With 6 Cardinal planets, she likes to lead, but with 0 Water planets she can be unemotional.  She is a gambler by nature (Sun square Jupiter), but this was one gamble too many.  An interesting feature of her chart is Mercury exactly conjunct Chiron in Aries: a mind suited to problem-solving, but unusual in its processes…  Her chart has many aspects, and her Mercury also has a square to Jupiter (likes to travel) and an opposition with Uranus (not afraid to be controversial).”

The Smirk

In October, while being interviewed on the Andrew Marr show, he challenged her on her trademark smirk while talking about the possible impact of a no-deal Brexit.

Since then, her smirk has been regularly commented upon, though she denied it was a smirk.  The transits for that time included Mars (her ruling planet) sextile her natal Neptune, a suitable transit for an enigmatic smile (though hardly in the league of the Mona Lisa).

New Immigration policy

Last week she was in hot water over her new immigration policy, which is points-based.  She wanted to get Britons to work rather than import unskilled workers from overseas, but the idling percentage of the population she had in mind (the “economically inactive”) turned out to be students and pensioners. She was also challenged on the fact that her own family would not have been allowed in under the new rules, which included the requirement that only those earning £25,000 per annum would be eligible to stay here.  There are a number of loopholes in her plan.

Clashes with Staff

Rumblings and rumours have been going on for a while (some claimed Priti was bullying), but yesterday the chief Home Office civil servant resigned, claiming he was being forced out of his job and threatening to sue the government for constructive dismissal.  Some of the rumours date back to her time as international development secretary under Theresa May.

Priti’s current transits include Mars square her natal Sun in Aries (a short lived, angry transit), Pluto trine her natal Venus (transforming relationships) and Chiron trine her natal Neptune (complexity).

Sir Philip Rutnam

The civil servant in question, Sir Philip Rutnam, has the Sun in Gemini, but also Jupiter exactly conjunct his North Node in Gemini, so he is very mentally focussed.  His ruling planet Mercury is sextile Uranus, so he is likely to have a brilliant mind.  The exact Jupiter/North Node conjunction squares Pluto exactly (a love of power).  Venus trines his Saturn, indicating a normally loyal nature.  Together these two planets link up to create a Grand Trine in Water with Neptune.

The Synastry between Priti and Sir Philip shows her Jupiter opposite his Mercury (his ruling planet), so she exerts power in this interaspect, and her Uranus squares his Venus (again, he finds the pressure on him in the relationship).

At the time of his resignation, Neptune is on his natal Saturn (confusing a normally stable state of being) and Neptune trine his Neptune (he feels he is acting with integrity).  In another recent resignation, that of Sajid Javid when asked by Boris Johnson to sack his aides, Neptune was again involved, transiting his natal North Node, and again Javid felt he was acting with integrity.  But a resignation such as that of Sir Philip is unprecedented.

Aspects

Venus squares Saturn on Tuesday (3rd March), so we need a great deal of patience in our human interactions, and some may be dealing with rejection or sadness.  There may be further anxieties about the state of the economy in relation to the effects of the coronavirus, but it gives us the chance to get our values straight.  Keep your heart open.

Retrograde Mercury re-enters Aquarius from Pisces on Wednesday (4th), and that will be a chance to re-visit ideas and mental projects you were engaged with from 16th January to 3rd February, perhaps tie up loose ends in that respect.  While Mercury has been in Pisces, you may have got bogged down in some more complex studies, or more emotionally binding situations.  Mercury in Aquarius is more conducive to documentation, although we are still in a Mercury retrograde period.  If you are wanting a heads up for further switching of modes of thought, Mercury goes Direct on 10th March next week, and re-enters Pisces on 16th March.

On Wednesday evening, we can enjoy a social interlude, with Mercury sextile Venus.  If you have planned a soiree or some social event, then it should prove most congenial.  If you haven’t planned anything, you might do well to plan a get together of sorts.  If you are definitely going to be home alone, then artistic and literary creative pursuits could be very fruitful.  Start a book club, maybe?

Venus enters Taurus on Thursday (5th), and she will be a happy bunny (or a contented cow, and so forth).  This gives a feeling of “all’s right with the world”, apart from obvious background concerns such as climate change and coronavirus.  Within yourself, and in your relationship with nature (edging towards Spring), you are capable of feeling much more settled and harmonious.  This placement of Venus in her home sign continues right through the beginning of Spring, to April 3rd.  Those born under the Venusian signs of Taurus and Libra will especially feel its benefit.

The week in bullet points:

  • Tuesday – patience
  • Wednesday – mentally clearer; socially congenial
  • Thursday – the beauty of art and nature
Date: Mar 1st, 2020 · Comments RSS · Tags: News