A Tony Blair intervention usually evokes an exasperated sigh from the electorate who wish he’d bury himself somewhere far away. But for once his grandstanding on Brexit has been welcomed by everyone apart from Theresa May who accused him of “undermining” the Brexit talks by calling for another referendum and saying his comments were an “insult to the office he once held.” He spat back. “What is irresponsible is to try to steamroller MPs into accepting a deal they genuinely think is a bad one with the threat that if they do not fall into line, the government will have the country crash out without a deal.”

Given that many on her own side including John Major and other Cabinet members have been chipping in their tuppence worth over different scenarios it’s not clear why she erupted over Blair. Especially since Brussels made it perfectly clear there will be no further negotiations.

As an aside, mainstream commentators have been getting more and more blunt about her state of mind.

Matthew Parris, Times: “At what point does tenacity become rigidity become mulishness become a frozen panic? Does she hear? Does she see? Does she know? Is there anyone at home?” “Colleagues are getting the creeps. They fear she’s flying us on into the night as flight MH370 from Kuala Lumpur flew on, essentially pilotless, the aircraft’s captain … elsewhere.”

John Crace, Guardian: “Even someone as semi-detached as the Maybot has a breaking point. She is well beyond the point where a simple reboot via the control-alt-delete keys can restore her to her factory settings. She is now experiencing such a total systems overload that she couldn’t begin to pass the Turing test.”

Back to the Blair-May combo. Both are excessively stubborn.  He with a Sun and Jupiter in Taurus plus an Aquarius Moon and Pluto in Leo; she with her Thatcherite Saturn in Scorpio square Pluto Venus in Leo.  Her downbeat Saturn opposes his exuberant Jupiter Mars, for a clash of personalities.

Their relationship chart is a sight to behold with a mutually unsupportive (ego-clash) composite Mars opposition Neptune in a disruptive, needs-space, on-differing-agendas square to Sun, Uranus Jupiter. With a hostile-dislike Mars trine Pluto.  It’ll erupt into real fury from the March 29 2019 exit date onwards. She won’t be around (cross fingers) in No 10 for too much longer, but wherever she is will be buried under a tsunami of blame for her mishandling of the entire farrago.

Not that I’m arguing for a second referendum – my heart sinks at yet more agony, and it might well turn out much the same result – but preparations should have been made for fall back alternatives.

Argentina is in the throes of a #metoo moment with a well-known actor Juan Darthes, being accused of the underage rape of a sixteen year old almost a decade ago – which he strenuously denies. There have been several previous allegations of sexual misconduct against him which were all seen off by lawyers.

He was born 28 October 1964 and is an intense, emotional Sun, Mercury in Scorpio; with a Fixed Grand Cross of Neptune in Scorpio opposition Jupiter in Taurus square Mars in Leo opposition Saturn in Aquarius – stubborn to the nth degree, enduring, hard-edged, indulgent, bullishly confident.

His accuser, Thelma Fardin, 24 October 1992, is also a Sun Scorpio with an excitable Mars in Cancer opposition Uranus Neptune in Capricorn. Her Mercury Pluto in Scorpio square his Mars and Saturn and oppose his Jupiter – not a good chemistry between them.

Their relationship chart has a friendly composite Sun Venus conjunction but that combo also squares an argumentative, insensitive Mars, which in turn is in an explosive square to Uranus.

He’ll respond with great vigour since tr Pluto is trine his Jupiter through 2019/2020; but he’ll be severely jolted on the way through as well.

She looks cornered and scared with tr Pluto opposition her Mars till late 2019 and fairly off track until 2021 when she begins to bounce more confidently again.

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Sondra Locke, actress/director and one-time companion of Clint Eastwood, from whom she split acrimoniously with a substantial palimony suit and tell-all memoir, has died.

She was born 28 May 1944 in Tennessee with her father disappearing before her birth. Her first film role earned her an Oscar nomination but she did little work thereafter until hired for a Clint Eastwood movie. They got together and Eastwood paid for a house for her husband, a gay childhood friend to whom she remained married throughout. She acted in six films with Eastwood; and after the split was promised a directing deal with Warner Bros as part of the palimony suit but no films were agreed and back to court she went.

She was a Sun Uranus in Gemini conjunct Venus in last degree Taurus; with a fiercely determined and angry Mars Pluto in Leo with Pluto square her Mercury in Taurus, so she’d be argumentative and stubborn.

It was an odd match with Eastwood, 31 May 1930 5.35pm San Francisco, since her Sun Uranus was conjunct his 7^th house Sun, so she would be a disruptive influence demanding an unconventional relationship; her can-be-hostile Mars Pluto was conjunct his Leo Moon; and her Saturn was conjunct his 8^th house Jupiter which would put a damper on intimacy as well as bring up money issues.

Their relationship chart had a passionate composite Sun, Mars, Venus; and a power-couple Jupiter Pluto conjunction, though that can turn into a struggle for the upper hand when the glitter wears off.

Both were Geminis, both with Moon in Leo, both with Mercury in Taurus.

Eastwood was a renowned womaniser with various children born from different liaisons and she was evidently distraught when she discovered he’d been two timing her especially since she’d had two abortions early in their relationship. According to the Times obituary: “Throughout the break-up Eastwood, who denied many of her allegations, said little, his most loquacious comment being: “I have done nothing but try to help her, and no good deed goes unpunished.” He was part of the early 1930s generation with Saturn opposition Pluto squaring onto  Uranus in Aries – tough, unyielding, a maverick and a rebel.

Only in Hollywood could you demand a house for your husband out of a palimony suit with another man. Not sure I’m too sympathetic towards her. She got the roles and then got vengeful.

Trump odds and sods.

The dominoes are falling one by one with Michael Cohen now sentenced and the tabloid rag, The Enquirer, formerly pro-Trump, now co-operating with the feds to stave off criminal charges. During the 2016 campaign and before The Enquirer savaged his enemies and paid to catch-and-kill negative stories about him, such as Playboy centerspread Karen McDougal’s allegation of an affair. Trump was close friends with The Enquirer (AMI) chief David Pecker but no more and it could bring more trouble depending on which beans get spilt, not just for Trump but also for Jared Kushner who was the middle man.

David Pecker, 24 September 1951, is a Sun Saturn in Libra with an ultra-determined and ruthless Mars Pluto in Leo. His relationship chart with Trump although superficially friendly with a composite Sun Venus, also has a very gritty composite Mars Saturn and Pluto which can easily turn into hostility. January and February 2019 will dent enthusiasm and trust between them – another bubble burst.

Jared’s relationship with Pecker is getting a cold frisson of concern later this month with confusion reigning and more than a fair few upheavals through 2019.

Mick Mulvaney, 21 July 1967, has been announced as the Acting Chief of Staff, tho’ he appears to be continuing in his old job as well.  He describes himself as very right wing. He’s a late degree Cancer with probably a Capricorn Full Moon and a not very interesting chart. His relationship chart with Trump looks less than ecstatic over the festivities, edgy and nerve-stretched, with disappointment through January and more disruptions in February.

The word is the Chief of Staff has to get on with Ivanka and Jared, which given that Ivanka’s pushily confident Jupiter Pluto squares his Sun; and their relationship chart has a composite Mars Pluto for a bitter power struggle, doesn’t sound too likely. And with Jared it isn’t much better.

Amongst the many oddities of the Trump White House is the situation of Kellyanne Conway, Counselor to POTUS, wheeled out on the media frequently to be his cheer leader, married to attorney George Conway, who loathes Trump and says so publicly and often. They have four children.

Kellyanne, 20 January 1967, is a last degree Sun Capricorn or zero Aquarius opposition Jupiter in Cancer square Mars in Libra and possibly trine a Taurus Moon. Definitely a go-getter and an aggressive arguer. She’s also got a secretive, creative Water Grand Trine of Jupiter trine Saturn trine Neptune, formed into a Kite by Jupiter opposition Sun – ego-centric.

Her husband George, 2 September 1963, is a Sun, Venus, Uranus, Pluto in Virgo – leading edge, changeable, unpredictable; with Jupiter in pro-active Aries opposition Mars which is sextile/trine Saturn in knowledgeable Aquarius.

His earthy Virgo planets will suit her Taurus Moon and maybe Capricorn Sun or even an Aquarius Sun since all three can be workaholic signs and quite detached. And his Moon may be conjunct her Venus in Aquarius which is good; but so is his Saturn, which isn’t too warm. That apart there’s not much in the way of crossovers.

Their relationship chart has a composite Sun conjunct a vague, evasive Neptune on one side and widely conjunct an affectionate Venus on the other. With a high-tension, ups-and- downs T Square of Saturn opposition Uranus square Jupiter. Will depend a good deal on house placings which aren’t known without a birth time. But it doesn’t look that close.

Both of them have Mars in last decan Libra and individually as well as together they’re facing an aggravated and frustrated 2019/2020 as tr Pluto squares their Mars. So it won’t get easier.

Trump’s relationship with both is getting a serious shake up from July 2019 onwards, with trouble brewing before then.

Actor Michael Weatherly, late of NCIS, now starring in the TV courtroom drama series Bull, made some off-colour sexual comments to actress Eliza Dushku on set. She complained, was dropped from the series and later came to a confidential agreement with CBS which paid her $9.5 million, the equivalent of how much she would have received in salary for the planned four seasons.

This has come to light on the back of the Les Moonves CBS #metoo investigations undertaken by independent counsel.

Eliza Dushku, 30 December 1980, Boston, MA, started acting aged 10 and reported being sexually assaulted aged 12 by a stunt man and she was subsequently injured on set after he was confronted. She developed a serious alcohol and drug problem and says she suffers from ADHD. She later became known for playing in Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel.

She’s a Sun Mercury in Capricorn square Jupiter Saturn in Libra so will be up and down mood-wise. She’s also got a difficult Pluto (Moon) in Libra square Mars so will have suffered a good deal of inner rage and conflict, which would have exacerbated her addictions.

Michael Weatherly, 8 July 1968 New York, is an excitable Sun Cancer conjunct Mars on one side and Venus on the other. His Sun Venus are trine Neptune, sextile Uranus Pluto and square Saturn. He’s suited to the varied/fast-changing film and TV business, emotionally changeable, blows hot and cold, can be charmingly persuasive and can be shut off. He’s had a two year marriage, a two year engagement, and now a second marriage lasting nine years. His Mercury in Gemini may oppose a Sagittarius Moon squaring onto Uranus Pluto – which will make him highly strung.

He certainly didn’t have an easy interface with Eliza Dushku since her Pluto square Mars collides with his Saturn and Venus; and her Saturn Jupiter squares his Mars and Sun.

The relationship chart is very conflicted with the composite Mats opposition both the Sun and Uranus as well as being square Saturn.

I can see with her history why she’d be abnormally sensitive to unsavoury sexual cracks but unless there’s more to it than meets the eye it’s an extraordinary amount of money for a few bloke-ish jokes in a business where contracts are made and broken in the blink of an eye.

The extraordinary life of triple bigamist, shadowy MI6 agent and successful novelist Alec Wilson has made a highly watchable BBC 3-part drama, starring actress Ruth Wilson playing her grandmother, Alison and Iain Glen playing Alec. Only in recent years have the seven children and grandchildren of his four ‘marriages’ found out about each other and pressured MI6 to come clean on his records, so far with limited results.

Alison Wilson married, as she thought, a divorced secret service agent during World War 11, who explained his stints in prison and absences as undercover work and she stuck by him despite great poverty at times. After his death, she discovered he had never been divorced, his first wife had three children, there was another liaison with a child, and a fourth Mrs Wilson from his time working as a hospital porter.

M16 insist they fired him in 1942 for fabricating evidence though there are enough questionmarks over that and enough blanks in his record to at least leave the door open to the suggestion that he’d been framed and there was a cover up.

He was born 24 October 1893 in Dover, to an army father and he was himself wounded in World War 1. This gave rise to a hint in the drama that his fiction writing was a way of coping with his horror at what he’d seen.  He was clearly bright, becoming in the 1930s Professor of English Literature in Lahore when he had started publishing his fiction.

He was a Sun Scorpio widely conjunct Uranus – intense and a maverick. His Venus in adventurous Sagittarius was opposition Neptune Pluto in Gemini and sextile Mars Saturn in Libra – and his Aries Moon may well have been tied into those two conjunctions as well – opposition Saturn Mars and sextile Pluto Neptune. So his two emotional planets were all over the place.

Neptune Pluto is head-in-the-clouds and associated with scandal as well as grandiose plans, would certainly edge him towards fantasy and illusion as well as deception. Mars Saturn is military but also hard-edged, not sympathetic, which he must have been, to two-time quite so many ‘wives’ and abandon all but two of his children. Though oddly the adult children describe him as loving and devoted, so he could obviously turn on the charm.

After his death Alison retreated into a religious community where she stayed  until the end of her life.

Texan Beto O’Rourke has topped a new poll as the most popular choice among Democrats to challenge Donald Trump in 2020. He narrowly failed to win the senate seat of Republican Ted Cruz last month but his charismatic campaign has raised his profile. In the poll, he came in first with 15.6 per cent, followed by Joe Biden at 14.9 per cent and Bernie Sanders 13.1 per cent.

O’Rourke was born 26 September 1972 El Paso, Texas, into a family with political connections and after a muddled early adult life including a stint in a band, he settled down to a steady job, served on the city council and then became a congressman. He is an exceptionally determined and confident Sun Pluto in Libra conjunct Mars in late Virgo, all square Jupiter in Capricorn. His Saturn in Gemini is square Mars and which will make him hard-working, short-tempered. His Saturn is also trine Uranus, sextile Venus in sociable Leo – innovative, charming, a good networker.

What will stymie his chances in 2020 is tr Neptune square his Saturn from late April onwards which is uncertain, confused, perhaps a scandal popping up. And from late May 2020 tr Uranus starts to square his Mars/Saturn midpoint which suggests rolling crises. Both these influences run into early 2021.

He has said he doesn’t intend to put himself forward in 2020 though presumably if the pressure is there he might give in. But he’d be wise to stay out.

Another gangster-jihadist shooting in Strasbourg, France at the Christmas market on Tuesday left three dead, with a fourth brain-dead, and 12 more injured, several seriously.

The shooter Chérif Chekatt, 4 February 1989 Strasbourg, has not yet been captured. He was born into a poor immigrant family with Moroccan roots, graduated from petty crime to drug dealing and robbery. By the time he was 29 he had 27 convictions on his sheet and became radicalized in prison; and was on an Islamist terrorist watch list.

He is a Sun Aquarius square a formidably ruthless Mars in Taurus opposition Pluto – ego-centric, obstinate, drawn to a cause, driven and controlling; with his Mars trine the highly-strung and chaotic Neptune, Saturn Uranus triple conjunction in Capricorn – hard-edged, explosive, uncompromising. His Jupiter in Taurus is conjunct the destructive Fixed Star Algol.

It’s a strong chart which had he been born into better circumstances and made different choices could have given him a decent life.

His can-be-dictatorial 5H is heavily aspected, tough, bleak, adventurous; and his 9H – what brings him pleasure – is violent.

A recap on EU’s astro-state of play as they face myriad problems – Italy’s bolshie populist government facing down Brussels economic strictures heads the list; Macron, the shining hope for the future with Merkel fading, is beset with domestic woes and about to do damage to France’s deficit by buying off the ‘yellow vests’ and not pushing ahead with reforms; plus problems with Hungary, Poland – and an economic system ill-designed to cope with a recession which is heavily forecast. Brexit is a minor irritation tho’ a hard exit which robbed them of many billions would hurt. Plus elections coming in May which may not go the way the technocrats would like.

Most notable is the Solar Arc Pluto conjunct the EU 2^nd house Neptune, exact in six months’ time, though likely in effect before then – financial confusion and devastation, grievous loss, perhaps scandals.

The other Solar Arc to watch for is the SA Midheaven conjunct the 12^th house Pluto exact in a year’s time – which will be challenging, bring a major power struggle, perhaps the technocrats (secretive, unelected, 12^th house) versus politicos –  and perhaps drag dirty dealings out into the open. This is especially likely since the 12^th house Pluto is in a ruthless square to Mars.

The EU chart is aggravated exactly now being landed with Theresa May on a hopeless boomerang trip; and confused with a teeth-gritting slog through 2019. Tr Uranus will start to severely shake the EU’s very inflexible Fixed Grand Cross from mid May 2019 which will affect its finances, economic prospects and future plans. By 2020/21 the sh** will really hit the fan with tr Uranus in hard aspect to the financial 8^th house Moon, and the 11^th house Uranus. And tr Neptune in 2020/21 will be square the 3^rd house Saturn for high uncertainty, muddles and paranoia.

The European Central Bank (ECB) chart, 1 January 1999, also shows 2020/21 as a time of maximum jeopardy with Solar Arc Mars square the ECB Uranus; and tr Uranus square the Uranus. It’s under pressure now and for the next several years with tr Pluto just off the square to its Mars, and moving in hard aspect to the Mars/Saturn midpoint for a crisis-ridden 2019/2020; with worse to follow up to 2023 as tr Pluto is conjunct the financial Venus and then square the 8^th house Saturn. It’ll keep up a bullish front on 2019/2020 with tr Pluto sextile Jupiter but it’s not enough to offset the rest.