In the febrile swamp of UK politics the Liberal Democrats are deemed to be in a better position than usual being the anti-Brexit Party and able to attract disaffected right and left votes. But there’s not much that’s cheerful in the immediate future on their astrology.

Jo Swinson, 5 February 1980, was elected as new leader on 22 July 2019 at 5.25 pm (I think) in London and is a Sun Aquarius trine Pluto with an idealistic Neptune on the focal point of a T Square to Venus in Pisces opposition a hard-working Saturn in Virgo. She has tr Neptune square her Sun/Pluto in 2019/2020 which is not supportive vocationally; and there’s worse in 2020/21 with tr Neptune opposition her Mars/Saturn midpoint. Although she will get some uplift from tr Uranus trine her Jupiter from May 2020, on and off into 2021. But she’s running into a further a setback from Solar Arc Sun opposition her Saturn in 2020/21. Where she gets her best chance of major success will be around 2023 when her Solar Arc Jupiter is conjunct her Pluto.

The Lib Dem chart, 3 March 1988, is devastated in 2021 with Solar Arc Neptune square Pluto; but it also flags up 2022/23 as hopeful years with tr Pluto square the Jupiter. However as a caveat there’s also a Solar Arc Mars square Pluto in 2023 which is very trapped. So some ups, alongside some downs.

PS Jo Swinson was born in Glasgow so there must be a birth time around. Grateful if anyone has it.

Poor Meghan is now the focus of a Daily Mail hate campaign, getting slagged off for the September issue of Vogue she edited. It highlights inspirational woman and oddly enough doesn’t have her on the cover as it did for Kate and Diana and indeed Princess Anne before her. Yet there was a high whine from two Mail columnists saying it showed how ego-centric she was. The media are extracting revenge for the privacy insistence over the birth and christening of Archie which didn’t sit well with previous Royal protocol or the public money spent on their new home. It would have to be admitted the young Royals PR hasn’t been of the best. They need better advisers whom they listen to. But she’s in a damned-if-does and damned-if-she-doesn’t trap at the moment.

Meghan’s Mars in Cancer was closely conjunct this month’s Cancer Solar Eclipse which was one indication of arguments and heated situations to come. Her Secondary Progressed Mars is also still conjunct her Mercury for a few more weeks which is prone to disputes and controversies. The Lunar Eclipse this month in later Capricorn/Cancer falls almost exactly on her Ascendant/Descendant so would shine a critical light on her image.

Her Mars is conjunct the UK’s Midheaven and opposition the UK’s Sun, so she will always be a person who causes differences of opinion and appears possibly more competitive than she is. Her controlling Pluto also squares the UK’s Moon which is an intense connection and will make for some resistance. She is a Leo so she likes an audience, but she’s also got her North Node in Leo so does have leadership abilities.

The relationship chart between herself and the UK is complex – tied together with a strong emotional bond with a composite Moon trine Pluto and square Venus, yet divisive with a needs-space composite Sun Uranus. There’s a composite Mars in the 10^th which suggests that together it’s an ambitious pairing but if it goes sour there’ll be a strongly competitive element in the interaction. The composite midheaven is conjunct the Fixed star Algol, which can be destructive though it does have a positive side. It’ll be all systems change in 2021 to 2023 with tr Pluto square the composite Sun and Uranus which will leave to a major upheaval in relations.

She’s looking a touch jangled and undermined at the moment with tr Pluto in a trapped opposition to her Sun/Mars till late August and tr Neptune opposition her Mars/Uranus till mid-August, with more slumps late September to mid-November. With the tr Saturn Pluto about to cross her Descendant and move into her 7^th house, which rules close relationships as well as general public relations from early 2020 onwards, the public mood and her responses may well magnify and become more difficult. She’s also got her Progressed Moon moving into and through her 8^th house from this coming New Year which usually heralds a conflicted two years of inner questioning and exaggerated emotional responses.

Prince Harry himself is struggling with the transition into married life and fatherhood given a semi-hostile media environment. He has had his Progressed Moon moving through his 8^th for a year and has another two years to go. He’s also got tr Pluto opposition his Sun/Moon midpoint in 2019/2020 which is the marriage signifier as well as public popularity – so strains in both areas (William had the same just after his wedding). Harry looks panicked and uncertain about his future plans till later this year as well with tr Neptune square his 11^th house Mars; with a fair few humps and bumps along the way courtesy of tr Uranus oppositions to midpoints.

The Queen and Philip had a few years out of sight in Malta just after they were married; and William and Kate disappeared off to deepest Wales. Meghan and Harry might be better to fade into the background until life settles down.

For the first time there has been official Chinese Government condemnation of the civil unrest in Hong Kong. There have been eight consecutive weekends of anti-government protests with violent clashes on Sunday as police fired tear gas and rubber bullets at protesters. And criminal Triads recently joined in to attack the demonstrators as well, presumably paid for by those on the side of the government.

The Hong Kong 1997 chart sits very awkwardly with the China chart with the HK Uranus on the China Ascendant and conjunct the China Moon; and the HK Sun conjunct the China Uranus; with the HK Moon square Jupiter in hard-aspect to China’s aggressive Mars Pluto; the HK Mars conjunct the China Sun; and last but not least the HK wants-control Pluto is in the China 10^th house – so a tinderbox chemistry with the fledgling HK determined right reason or none to fight the overlord.

The relationship chart between HK and China does show this year (and last) as triggers for rebellion with tr Pluto square the composite Uranus; with more insecurity and bad-tempered outbursts from mid-2020 through 2021 as tr Uranus is trine the composite Mars, and Neptunian sinkers thereafter hitting on the composite Moon and Venus. Interestingly at the moment tr Uranus squares the composite Jupiter from which one might expect relief from tension but it clearly has the opposite effect of a struggle for freedom. That repeats in early 2020.

On the Hong Kong chart itself tr Uranus will continue to tug at and seriously unsettle the Venus opposition Uranus through 2019/2020 with the next major hiccup late this December and January 2020 when there may be a change of direction as tr Uranus trines the MC as well. Later in 2020 there’s a dashed-hopes Solar Arc Neptune conjunct the HK Jupiter.

There seems little possibility of the Chinese dragon changing its spots and Xi Jinping’s Administration chart is looking fairly successful and confident this year so he’s less likely to cave in. It’ll be 2022 before his reign makes a radical change of direction.

And Carrie Lam, the pro-Beijing HK leader still in place, started her rule under a Sun Mars in Cancer opposition Pluto square Jupiter – so is acclimatised to risk and challenge – just as well since she’ll have a few more of these before this year is out. The December Capricorn Solar Eclipse will fall close to the HK Midheaven which does suggest that will be a critical turning point.

See also post June 12 2019

Trash-talking Trump sinks lower into the murk when he doubles up on his attack on a Democratic black congressman, whose Baltimore district he first described as a “disgusting, rat and rodent infested mess” and added “no human being would want to live there.” This in response to Elijah Cummings comments about migrant conditions at the border. Having discovered like his previous ‘go back from whence you came’ crack to Ilhan Omar and others that it appealed to his white working-class base he’s now in full flood, despite or perhaps enlivened by the criticism he is receiving.

The Baltimore Sun whaled back with an editorial which described Trump as “the most dishonest man to ever occupy the Oval Office, the mocker of war heroes, the gleeful grabber of women’s private parts, the serial bankrupter of businesses, the useful idiot of Vladimir Putin and the guy who insisted there are ‘good people’ among murderous neo-Nazis.” They ended that saying it’s better to have “vermin” in your neighbourhood “than to be one.”

That Trump revels in savagely overheated arguments is not news, nor is his vengeful, narcissistic kickback against any form of criticism, nor his flagrantly racists views. What is utterly depressing is that he can say such things without a scintilla of shame and not only get away with it but can increase his popularity doing so. Racism always was the elephant in America’s shadow and he’s dragging it out into the open. The fanatical, bitterly resentful Mercury opposition Pluto in the USA chart which has leanings towards fascism is still to do its worst in the early 2020s with the tr Pluto in hard aspect, which doesn’t augur well.

Elijah Cummings, 18 January 1951 is a Sun Capricorn with his determined Mars in Aquarius exactly opposite Trump’s Mars in bombastic Leo; and his Sun is opposition Trump’s Saturn for a chilly interface.

Their relationship chart has the composite Mars conjunct the destructive Fixed planet Algol in a bad-tempered and cruel square to Saturn; with a disappointing Sun opposition Neptune.

This argument isn’t so much between Cummings and Trump as between Trump and the soul of America.

That Jeremy Corbyn will follow Theresa May out of office seems almost certain as is often the way with political opponents. One falls, the other succumbs to the same forces of gravity in time as well.

His Leadership chart 24 September 2016 12.51pm indicates gloom and discouragement, maybe even an exit when tr Saturn opposes the Moon and is conjunct Pluto now through August till early September, and again October to early November this year. Failing that the major upheaval comes with tr Pluto square the Uranus which is most often a topple-off-perch moment which occurred earlier this year and again after mid January through February 2020, and twice more before the end of the year. His relations with both Labour Party charts are on a separating trajectory from now till this year end.

His own chart, another multiple Gemini, is sliding into confusion this autumn with tr Neptune square Mercury with a lucky break and great relief late December over the New Year into January – perhaps the latter is casting off the shackles of office which he never expected and doesn’t seem to much enjoy.

Of the possibles to replace him – there are four names at the top of the betting. Angela Rayner and Rebecca Long-Bailey can be discounted for the next couple of years since Neptune is putting sinkholes in their way.

Emily Thornberry, 27 July 1960, has some cheer late this September into October; and again over the New Year, with a couple more Jupiters running through 2020; though she’s also got a frustratingly trapped influences from this November and major glitches over the |New Year; and a discouraging tr Pluto square Sun/Saturn from February. Worse from late March onwards courtesy of a catastrophic tr Neptune conjunct her Mars/Saturn midpoint on and off into 2021. Her relations with the Labour Party 1900 chart aren’t encouraging for the next three years.

Keir Starmer, 2 September 1962, like Emily Thornberry to a degree has very mixed influences. There’s a stuck Solar Arc Sun Pluto square Saturn over the next few months which will bring a mighty struggle. He’ll get uplift from tr Uranus conjunct his Solar Arc Jupiter mid November to mid December. But really when his luck is in will be around May 2020 as tr Uranus is conjunct his Mars/Jupiter midpoint and sextile his natal Jupiter; with radical changes in his life, lifestyle and direction from June 2020 with tr Uranus trine his Sun and Pluto, which are the driving planets of the central configuration of his chart – a Water Grand Trine formed into a Kite.

Yvette Cooper, 20 March 19679, is a rank outsider in the betting at the moment which may not mean much. She upbeat late September to mid October and rattled from then till mid November. On the whole her 2020/2021 look discouraging with tr Pluto square her Saturn at 24 Aries and then square her Saturn/Venus and Venus in the two years following.

On the face of it – without birth times – Starmer looks the most likely, though not perhaps until next year.

Puerto Rico is in turmoil with mass public demonstrations forcing the governor Ricardo Rossello to resign after his threat to kill another politician was revealed in a social media chat and two top former members of his administration were indicted on federal corruption charges. The revolt that toppled his government in two weeks was propelled by concern over the territory’s weak economy, graft scandals and a callous response to Hurricane Maria in late 2017.

Rossello, son of a former governor, 7 March 1979, is a Sun Mars in Pisces opposition Saturn with Sun square Neptune – so definitely slippery. Tr Neptune is conjunct his Sun this year making his position swampier than usual. What’s interesting is that he took over as Governor three weeks before Trump on 2 January 2017 when the chancer’s Uranus opposition Jupiter square a control-freak Pluto was also in place. So there are certain similarities between their administrations. Rossello’s Term chart also had a Sun conjunct Pluto in Capricorn which was rattled by the early July Cancer Solar Eclipse.

The Puerto Rico, 25 July 1952 1.36pm San Juan chart has tr Uranus in an all-systems change square to the Leo Sun this year, running on and off until after the New Year. But the transition won’t be quick n’ easy. There’ll be setbacks in 2021 with Solar Arc Sun conjunct Saturn. 2022 will see the start of several years upheaval with tr Uranus moving round the Fixed Grand Cross which will bring forced changes with a fair amount of disruption.

The 25 July 1898 chart also has a Leo Sun at the same degree so is feeling the winds of change blowing; with tr Neptune undermining the Pluto power bases.

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/07/27/us/puerto-rico-protests-timeline.html?action=click&module=Top%20Stories&pgtype=Homepage

Boris’s Grand Tour of the ‘awesome foursome’ components of the UK and the dragons of the EU will keep him in an enjoyable (for him) high-profile whirlwind of activity for the next few weeks. Until presumably knock-on-wood reality becomes unavoidable. His Government chart’s extravagant Jupiter in the 2^nd is certainly getting an airing as he blithely promises largesse in all directions, though along with tax cuts it’s tricky to see how he’ll deliver. Tr Neptune square his Government Jupiter mid November to mid December will bring a back-to-earth-with-a-bump moment.

In general there’s a Neptunian smokescreen of confusion, miscommunication and disappointment on several of the relevant charts. The UK chart has tr Neptune square the 3^rd house Mercury mid August to late September for unclear discussions, evasive conversations and transport worries; followed by a panicky tr Neptune square the Solar Arc Mars also in the 3^rd right through until mid November.

There’s the faintest hint of a partnership split on the UK chart mid August to early September with tr Saturn square the Sun/Moon midpoint and the North Node. Tr Pluto and tr Uranus had been in hard aspect to those points in the run up to Brexit, so it is a sensitive spot. But it seems too mild for the kind of brutal pulling apart which a No-Deal would involve.

On the UK joining the EEC chart, 1 January 1973, there’s a run of tr Neptune square the Venus and then Saturn from late September to late January, which will be slipping, sliding, undermining emotionally as well as financially.

The UK relationship chart with the EU again shows up mid November to mid December as losses. With an uphill struggle of bulldozer-meets-brick-wall at the moment till late August, and again mid November to mid December.

On Boris’s crossovers with relevant others:

Nicola Sturgeon – she and BJ start off significantly chilly with a composite Sun Mercury square Saturn; and an emotionally conflicted composite Moon square Uranus Pluto. Tr Neptune is square the composite Moon now till mid August and again in 2020 – illusions, delusions and lies. Mid November to mid December look upsetting between them as well. That won’t improve in the foreseeable future.

His relationship with Nigel Farage is slippery at the best of times with a composite Sun opposition Neptune and unstable with Uranus Pluto trine Mars Jupiter which will swing around wildly over the next couple of years.

With Emmanuel Macron it’ll be a hostile and bitter power struggle with a composite Sun opposition Pluto squaring onto Mars; and a suspicious, distrustful composite Neptune opposition Jupiter Saturn.

And Angela Merkel won’t be budging in a hurry since her ferociously determined Mars in Sagittarius (trine Pluto) opposes his Sun Venus; and her Saturn in conscientious Scorpio is conjunct his Moon – so a charm offensive won’t wash.

His Government chart is facing a run of crises mid November to mid December and again in February to early March 2020. Whether this is post-a hasty-exit-Brexit or a continuing struggle to get a sensible deal isn’t remotely clear from any of the charts.

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American rapper ASAP Rocky remains in custody in Sweden facing charges of assault, despite the best efforts of Trump and Kim Kardashian amongst others to get him freed. His hearing is set for early next week. He claims self-defence.

He was born 3 October 1988 in Harlem, New York with a drug-dealing father who died in prison and a brother who was killed when he was 13. He dealt drugs as he moved around homeless shelters with his mother and sister as a teen for which he did time. His sister died of a drugs overdose in 2016. He’s been successful as a singer/songwriter and music video director.

He has a Libra Sun opposition Mars square Neptune which would incline him towards showbusiness, especially the musical end, with such a strong Neptune; but will also give him a short fuse made more so since his Mars is also square Uranus Saturn in late Sagittarius. His Moon is in Cancer which makes his family history all the more upsetting.

He’s got Solar Arc Sun conjunct his Pluto around now which is blocked; with a run of lacklustre, disappointing Neptune transits to midpoints from late September really through till January 2020; and he looks particularly blocked and angry across the New Year. But he does get one lucky-break influence late October and looks on more confident form from early 2020 onwards.

Rutger Hauer, the actor who brought Ridley Scott’s 1982 sci-fi cult classic Blade Runner to life with an unforgettable monologue, has died. He became a multi-millionaire doing several years of Guinness ads and worked constantly in Europe and the US on film and in television in LadyHawke, Buffy the Vampire Slayer amongst many others and more recently in True Blood, and The Sisters Brothers.

He was born 23 January 1944 at 6.18pm Breukelen, Netherlands into an acting family. He had a fascinating chart with a hard-working 6^th house Aquarius Sun in an Air Grand Trine to a volatile and ambitious Mars Uranus in Gemini in his 10^th trine Neptune, formed into a Kite by Sun opposition Pluto North Node in Leo – which last became the drivers of his chart. Influential certainly and quite hidden, drawn to horror movies with Mars Uranus Pluto Neptune as well as sci-fi. He had a lighter side from a flamboyant Venus in Sagittarius in his entertaining 5^th house trine an enthusiastic Jupiter in Leo in his 1^st.

He didn’t have a superstar career but he made quite an impact.

Pic: DWDD