Rachel Reeves

“To every young woman and girl… to every young woman and girl watching this: let today show that there should be no ceilings on your ambitions, your hopes or your dreams.”

~ Rachel Reeves, July 2024

Two glass ceilings broken this week: the first female U.K. Chancellor Rachel Reeves delivered her first budget, and the first black female leader of a U.K. political party Kemi Badenoch was elected, to the Conservatives.  This morning (actually, now afternoon),  I look at our Chancellor and her stamp on the country’s finances.  Rachel Reeves is the first women to hold this office in the 800-year history of the chancellorship.

Birth Chart

Rachel has half her planets (5) in the Fixed signs, denoting an extremely strong will.  Like her fellow cabinet minister Wes Streeting she has Sun in Aquarius.  Her Sun is conjunct Mercury, and in an air sign that depicts focus and intelligence.  Her Sun is also conjunct Mars in Aquarius, meaning that she is a steadfast Warrior.  Uranus squares these three planets, showing that she doesn’t care what others think, and doesn’t mind standing out from the crowd (accentuating the Aquarian trait).  Her Sun in a trine with Pluto indicates a powerful inner nature.  Three features  in Virgo (Moon, Saturn and the North Node) provide an eye for detail.  Though we do not have a birth time, the Moon at Noon exactly trine her natal Venus, suggests the harmony she has with her sister Ellie (Chair of the Labour Party and Minister without Portfolio).  Venus in Capricorn (political responsibility for finance) trine Chiron in Taurus (the desire to heal through financial distribution) well describes Rachel’s life path thus far.  Mars exactly trine Pluto provides a powerhouse of energy at her disposal.  Uranus sextile her North Node describes some measure of success, and a strong leadership karma.

Life and Career

Rachel was born in Lewisham. Her parents were primary school teachers, who divorced when Rachel was seven years old.  She was educated in Beckenham, and took part in an under-14 girls chess championship contest.  She has recounted that at the age of eight her father pointed out Neil Kinnock on the television and “told us that was who we voted for”.  Both sisters joined the Labour Party when they were sixteen. At A-Level Rachel achieved four As in the subjects of politics, economics, mathematics and further mathematics.  She took Philosophy, Politics and Economics at Oxford University, and subsequently gained an MSc from the London School of Economics.

She worked at the Bank of England and moved to Leeds in 2006 to work for HBOS.  In 2010 under an all-women shortlist of prospective Labour candidates, she was selected to contest the constituency of Leeds West.  She had been advised on economic policy by Alistair Darling and was elected on 6th May 2010.  At the time, Pluto was trine her natal Chiron in Taurus, the placement in her chart which describes fiscal healing (she was on the road to her later role).  The seat was later re-organized, and its name changed to Leeds West and Pudsey, its current designation.

In 2010 she backed Ed Milliband for Labour Leader and became Shadow Pensions Minister under his leadership, being promoted in 2013 to Shadow Secretary of State for Work and Pensions.  She returned to the back benches when Jeremy Corbyn became leader in 2015.  When Keir Starmer was elected Labour Party leader, she was given the job of Shadow Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, which I mentioned in a blog at that time. On 9th May 2021 she was promoted to Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer.  At the time, her ruling planet Uranus trined her natal Saturn in Virgo, boosting her capacity for work.  She advocated what she called “Securonomics”, which she described as “an economic idea focused on building a strong economy in a more unstable world through government putting security for family finances and for the national economy, first.”  She believed that it would replace the neoliberal economic consensus.  From that time, she was being groomed, or grooming herself, for her future role.  The New Statesman in 2023, dubbed her “the most influential person on the British left today”.  She was appointed Chancellor of the Exchequer on 5th July 2024, in Keir Starmer’s newly appointed cabinet.  Saturn was on her South Node (almost a karmic appointment) and Pluto opposed her natal Jupiter (her rise in power).

On 29th July, Rachel Reeves announced that the previous Tory government had left a “£22 billion black hole” unaccounted for in the nation’s finances, and that would result in further “tough decisions” come the October budget.  This point in time is interesting, because the public were left dangling until the budget, and the Tories were protesting and denying that that was the case.  Saturn was on her South Node, as at the time of her appointment, Uranus was square her natal Mercury (controversy) and Pluto opposing her natal Jupiter (the wielding of power, for better or worse).

The Budget

The day of the budget saw Uranus oppose Mercury, so it was always going to be divisive.  I listened, rapt, to every word, and have never heard anything like it, she seemed to leave no stone unturned.  Afterwards, I heard a range of opinions all across the board, from a few cries of “she smashed it!” to “What about Social Care/Hospices/GPs?”. The business sector seems to have been most hit, though there was special provision for supporting the smallest businesses.  She has focussed on growth, and on boosting our public services, most notably the NHS, rebuilding the infrastructure of our country which has been neglected for so long.

The budget was bold, and needs to succeed.  One factor which it does need, is for Kamala Harris to win the U.S. election on Tuesday 5th.  Many of Rachel’s proposed policies and bills will not take effect until next April, which is a long time in politics…I will attempt to keep up to date on developments in my blog.

“There is hope.  The chancellor has dared to invest, tax and borrow on the scale necessary. She deserves applause, not brickbats…Good government can make a difference.”

~ Will Hutton, The Observer, 3rd November 2024

Aspects

A contentious opposition occurs today, between Mars and Pluto.  You can’t get much more of a dynamic opposition.  It very much reflects the struggle for the last votes in the U.S. between Kamala Harris and Donald Trump.  There are only two days to go, and we very much hope the best candidate wins!  Tempers may flare, unexpectedly, and words may cause upset.  Keep a low profile today if you wish to avoid conflict, and  the watchword is tact.

That’s not the whole story, though, today.  There is a second opposition occurring between Venus and Jupiter.  This is a good counterpart to the first opposition, as it involves the “two benefics” of the planetary family.  Even though this is an opposition, these two planets don’t tend to generate much harm.  There may be some extra socializing in the offing.  This may include an awkward gaffe, but hopefully on the right side of humour.

Finally today we may reap the rewards of these two balancing acts, as Venus will trine Chiron, which may aid healing and recovery.  Try to keep the heart open; it is the antidote for many things.  The healing power of love comes to the fore.  There may be a real opportunity to re-group your healing energies and feel harmony within your being.

Tomorrow (Monday 4th) Mars enters Leo, so a burst of fire in the early hours, maybe bringing passion to your dreams.  This will boost the energy of your self-expression, or you may observe displays of power.  The aspect favours and supports the performing arts, and the theatre industry.  Mars represents football and Leo sporting interests, too, so there may be news from that quarter.  You may kick off an active project of your own.

In the afternoon, the Sun trines Saturn, which is a quieter and more constructive space, solid and productive.  If you are engaged in creativity, it can help ensure that the creativity works on a practical level.  Simplifying your plans, or making economies, may make them more workable. This is especially useful to bear in mind if you own a business, and are considering staffing and resources, especially planning in the light of last week’s budget.  One solid step at a time, and one day at a time.

The aspects skip the main body of the week, and end in a fairly uncertain square between Venus and Neptune on Saturday (9th).  So use the week to get your house in order, and secure loopholes before tackling the dilemma of Saturday if there is one.  You may experience sensitivity around a relationship issue.  Sift out any paranoia, iron out artistic flaws, and financial insecurities. That may assist a smoother passage…and tread softly on the day,  lest you tread on your own dreams, or anyone else’s.  Be alert to any scams or deceptions, or negative examples of A.I., of which there seem to be many these days.

The week in bullet points:

  • Today – conflict; humour; healing
  • Tomorrow – fieriness; planning
  • Saturday – relationship nuances
Date: Nov 3rd, 2024 · Comments RSS · Tags: News