The Tory Leadership Contest

Some of the candidates in the Tory Leadership Contest this week set out their stalls.  Priti Patel was eliminated, leaving 5 contenders.  Here is a snapshot of the candidates, starting with the front runner, Robert Jenryck.

Robert Jenryck

Robert Jenryck leads at the moment, with endorsement by 28 MPs, being 23% of the vote.  Jenryck is a Capricornian, Saturn-ruled, a sign most associated with politics and more specifically Conservatism.  The first three candidates in this contest have markedly strong Capricorn/Saturnian traits.  With half his planets (5) in the Air element, Jenryck may tend to live in his head.  But he does have half his planets in Cardinal signs, pointing to leadership being on his agenda.  He was born on a Full Moon (Sun in Capricorn opposite Moon in Cancer), which can result in a marmite character, who divides opinion.  The Sun square Saturn, emphasizes Capricorn/Saturn, possibly in a negative way.  Pluto also squaring the Sun may further add negativity.  Sun on the South Node points to a previous life as a ruler. With Mercury trine Mars, he likes to get things done.  This also implies that he likes to drive fast, and he has in fact been disqualified from driving in the past.  He has Mercury sextile Uranus, which  indicates an inventive mind.  Venus squaring Jupiter can lead to inappropriate social ideas, such as removing cartoons from the walls of the accommodation for child refugees.  At the time he had the cartoons removed, transiting Mars was sextile his natal Pluto in Libra, a heavy handed act.

Jenryck was born in Wolverhampton, and after being privately educated, read history at St. John’s College Cambridge.  He then went on to study political science at the University of Pennsylvania, after which he qualified as a solicitor.  He has held the seat of Newark since 2014.  In 2016 he opposed Brexit.  He resigned from Rishi Sunak’s cabinet on 6th December 2023 as he felt the Rwanda asylum plan did not go far enough in tackling illegal immigration.  He has worked in a range of departments, including Health, Communities, and Immigration.

On 2nd November 2024, at the time of the result of the Tory Leadership contest, his transits are very lacklustre.  His closest transit is Jupiter trine his natal Saturn, which is mildly encouraging.  Kiran Stacey in the Guardian writes:

“While Jenryck is not one of the more high-profile candidates among the public, he has won support in Westminster by pitching to the right, especially on immigration, despite his reputation as a centrist.”

while Rowena Mason, writes:

“Robert Jenryck is outgunning his Conservative leadership rivals with big donors after raking in £250,000 by the end of last month, while some other candidates are stil short of the fundraising target required to stay in the race.”

Kemi Badenoch 

Kemi Badenoch is currently second in the race, with endorsement by 22 MPs, being 18.6% of the vote.

Kemi’s birth chart bears striking resemblances to Robert Jenryck’s.  Chief among these, she was also born on a Full Moon (the same combination: Sun in Capricorn, Moon in Cancer).  With the Sun trine Mars, she is a warrior.  She has the Sun closely trine Jupiter, so is a little more upbeat and positive than Jenryck.  She is also more grounded, with half her planets (5) in the Earth element.  She has Mars conjunct Jupiter, which gives her enthusiasm allied to energy

She was born in Wimbledon, and spent much of her childhood in Nigeria, coming to England at the age of 16.  She studied Computer Systems Engineering at Sussex University, followed by taking a Masters degree in Engineering.  In 2016, she supported Brexit.  She has held the seat of North West Essex/Saffron Walden since 2017.  She has worked in a range of departments, including Business and Trade, Children and Families, the Treasury, Equalities and Faith, International Trade and Communities.

On 2nd November 2024, at the time of the result of the Tory Leadership contest, Jupiter will be opposite her natal Neptune (could she be handed a poisoned chalice?) and Neptune will oppose her natal Saturn (reinforcing that possibility).

In the Guardian, John Crace reported:

“Hard to believe, I know, but some Tories still feel the leadership of their party is a prize worth having…Mostly, Kemi just mumbled a bit.  Policy didn’t really get a look in other than in the Q & A when she took swipes at Tom Tugendhat for putting a figure on migration and Robert Jenrick for threatening to leave the European convention on human rights.”

James Cleverly

James Cleverly is currently third in the race, with endorsement by 21 MPs, being 17.8% of the vote.

He has the Sun in Virgo, but his Conservative credentials lie in having the only aspect to his Sun as a trine from Saturn, the ruler of Capricorn.  He likes to keep upbeat with an exact conjunction of Mercury with Jupiter, and talk up his party with a smooth sextile between Mercury and Venus.  Other interesting features of his chart are the conjunction of Jupiter and Uranus, part of a triple conjunction with Mercury, indicating the Entrepreneur Archetype, and the third component of this triple conjunction, Mercury conjunct Uranus, a mind that can turn things around easily.  Virgo is an adaptable sign, and in recent years we have seen the various Tory leaders turn to him time and time again to fill an embarrassing gap, or to justify a position in the media.  He also has Mars square Pluto, a combative aspect (“the Warrior Archetype”), which was fulfilled earlier in life by having a military career.  Mars closely square his Nodal Axis reinforces this.

He was born in Lewisham, and was privately educated.  He studied hospitality management at Ealing College of Higher Education (now the University of West London).  He became MP for Braintree in 2015, and in 2016 he voted in favour of Brexit.  He has been involved in a couple of controversies: suggesting British football fans should show “a little bit of flex and compromise” at the Qatar World cup over Qatar’s views on homosexuality.  And last year he made a joke, which fell flat, about spiking his wife’s drink with Rohypnol.  At that time, he had a Mars Return, Mars was square his Nodal Axis, and Neptune opposed his natal Pluto.  He has worked in a range of departments, including Education, Foreign Affairs, and as Home Secretary.

On 2nd November 2024, at the time of the result of the Tory Leadership contest, Jupiter will be opposite his natal Mars, and Uranus will be opposite his natal Neptune: looks like an uphill struggle for him.

John Crace has written this week:

“Jimmy Dimly took the stage to share his experience, strength and hope.  His vision. Really, he needn’t have bothered…He was going to solve the housing crisis by getting everyone to build a two-bedroom flat on top of their existing home.” 

Tom Tugendhat

Tom Tugendhat is currently fourth in the race, with endorsement by 17 MPs, being 14.4% of the vote.

Tom does not have a classic Tory birthchart, but like James Cleverly, he does have a military chart, and also pursued a military career.  His Sun in Cancer closely squares Mars (“the Warrior Archetype”) and also Pluto, with Mars opposing Pluto (Cleverly has Mars square Pluto) in a T-square.  Like Robert Jenryck, he has 5 planets in the leadership quadruplicity (Cardinal) and the Sun on the South Node pointing to a previous life as a ruler. Also like Jenryck he has Mercury trine Mars, implying likes to get things done.  And, just like Jenryck, “This also implies that he likes to drive fast, and he has in fact been disqualified from driving.”!  Perhaps an opposition leader needs a combative nature? Apart from the absence of a Saturnian streak, the other feature than marks him out from the others, is a positive Neptune, which has trines from Mercury and Mars (forming a Grand Trine in Fire).  This suggests that he may have more refinement than the other candidates.

Tugendhat was born in Westminster – was that a sign that he was born to lead a political party?   It is said that he has “never made a secret of his ambitions to be Prime Minister one day.”  He attended a private school, St. Paul’s, and studied Theology at Bristol University and Islamic Studies at Gonville and Caius at Cambridge.  He entered the Territorial Army and served in Iraq and Afghanistan.  He became MP for Tonbridge in 2015, and in 2016 he opposed Brexit.  Controversially, he has recently said he might be in favour of leaving the European Court of Human Rights.  He has worked in the Ministry of Security, acting as Chair of the Foreign Affairs Select Committee.

On 2nd November 2024, at the time of the result of the Tory Leadership contest, he has an array of strong transits, including Mars on his Mercury in Leo, Uranus sextile his natal Venus, the North Node on his Mars, and the North Node trine his natal Neptune.  He probably has the best transits for 2nd November.  Astrologically, I would tip him.

Jessica Elgot and Kiran Stacey write in the Guardian:

“Tom Tugendhat has said people will ‘never vote for a party that they’ve stopped taking seriously’, promising to lead  a ‘Conservative Revolution’…”

Mel Stride

Mel Stride is currently fourth in the race, with endorsement by 16 MPs, being 13.6% of the vote.

Stride has a more uniting sign, Sun in Libra, and is thought of as a centrist.  Though he has Jupiter conjunct Saturn in Capricorn, he is not as Capricornian/Saturnine as the first three.  But that conjunction can get hamstrung.  In the last government, he was often found to be making apologies where other politicians were nowhere to be found.  He doesn’t particularly have a chart which lends itself to leadership.  But there is potential there, perhaps for service in a future government, with a striking North Node conjunct Uranus karmic mission as a reformer.  He would be a negotiator, smoothing over relations in his party as well.

Stride was born in Ealing, and went to Grammar School in Portsmouth.  He then read Philosophy, Politics and Economics at Oxford, and became President of the Oxford Union.  He was elected MP for Central Devon in 2010, and in 2016 he was opposed to Brexit. Departments he has worked in include: Work and Pensions, Education, and the Treasury.  While acting as Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, he stated his opinion that the triple lock system was not sustainable in the long term.

On 2nd November 2024, at the time of the result of the Tory Leadership contest, Mars will be square his Mars, Neptune will be sextile his natal Jupiter, Uranus will be square his natal Nodal Axis, and Pluto will be square his natal Mars.  He is least likely to reach the last stage of the contest, and his transits at the time look fractious.

So, if I had to choose a candidate, I would say Tom Tugendhat has the better set of transits at the beginning of November.

Aspects

Only four astrological features to take note of this week, beginning this morning with Saturn opposing the Sun.  Not the easiest start to the week, for this may bring be a touch of sadness to work through, a coming down to earth, a dose of reality (which could turn out to be a good thing or have a silver lining).

Tomorrow (Monday 9th) Mercury enters Virgo, and though this is a work mode, Mercury is at least at home in its own sign here, and it is a good start to the working week.  This signals a more studious change in focus and establishing the next academic term.  We will be thinking ahead, planning for our September schedules.  Students and teachers will be ready in their plans for the term ahead.  Businesses will be hoping for an extra push in efficiency for after the holiday period.  Parliamentarians will be setting out their policies, in their new roles, trying to balance out their difficult decisions, and oppositions to difficult decisions.  Mental application will be needed all round.

The aspect for Thursday (12th) is Mercury sextile Mars, which may bring about brisk action.  You may receive ideas to implement into your day.  Your mental reactions may be heightened, and this can lead to enhanced productivity.

Jupiter also squares the Sun on that day, an aspect which exaggerates everything it comes into contact with.  There is also a joyful, humorous side of Sun square Jupiter, so some laughter-yoga from time to time during the day would not go amiss!  It could be a fun day, but be aware of carelessness or overreaching goals.

The week in bullet points:

  • Today – letting go
  • Tomorrow – work mode
  • Thursday – brisk action; lightheartedness
Date: Sep 8th, 2024 · Comments RSS · Tags: News