Brexit – first small steps towards a middle ground

Reality bites as support for Brexit has fallen to a record low of 32% as Chancellor Jeremy Hunt cautiously puts a toe in the waters of conciliation suggesting in time the trade barriers which have been erected post-2016 could be substantially removed while the UK still remains outside the single market. The Office for Budget Responsibility, the independent fiscal watchdog, said this week that the latest evidence showed Brexit had had “a significant adverse effect on UK trade”, cutting trade volumes and relationships between British and EU companies. And Paul Johnson, director of the Institute for Fiscal Studies think-tank added: “Very clearly Brexit was an economic own goal. Economically speaking that has been very bad news indeed.” 

  The economic impact of Brexit remains a taboo for the main UK political parties and the hardcore Brexiteers in the Tory Party (the ERG group, Hannan, Frost etc) would be incensed at any such shift. But this latest softening of attitude from No 10 might well be the trigger for a long-overdue split within the Tory Party, hiving off the extreme anti-EU faction.

  Whether or not the EU would be amenable even in the face of their own monumental economic problems to contemplate a pitch-n-patch ad hoc arrangement with the UK is another matter.

 The EU/UK relationship chart does show some signs of mellowing over the next few months but will run into shocks and blocks from April 2023, more so July onwards; with a chilly mood in 2024.  It may be 2025/26/27 before there is a significant shift onto a new footing.

 The Tory Party, 9 May 1912 party chart is facing a white knuckle ride over the next three years with a cage-rattling tr Uranus conjunct the Sun now and repeating early 2023; and a high-tension, crockery-throwing tr Uranus conjunct the Saturn from July 2023 into 2024 – as the old guard clashes with the forces for reform. That division will come to a head by 2025 when the Solar Arc Uranus is conjunct the Tory Party Saturn.

  Through 2023/24 with tr Neptune square the Pluto there is a sense of Tory influence being undermined. The back-to-the-drawing-board for a complete rethink will come in 2025 with tr Pluto conjunct the Uranus.

  The anti-EU European Research Group (ERG) has exerted considerable pressure within the Tory Party since it was formed in July 1993 through the Maastricht negotiations. There is no exact date but Pluto was in Scorpio which was then opposition the Tory Party Sun and Saturn in Taurus setting the scene for a mighty power struggle. And the highly-strung (immune to rational argument) Uranus Neptune in Capricorn was also in place opposition the Tory Party Mars Neptune in Cancer.  When the Brexit referendum was held in 2016 tr Pluto in Capricorn square tr Uranus in Aries had been pounding away at the Tory Party Mars Neptune so it is a sensitive point – though there is nothing up and coming until 2027/28 to affect it.

  Of the die-hard Brexiteers David Frost looks panicky and disappointed through 2023; and Daniel Hannan looks edgy in 2024.  Intriguingly Frost, Hannan and Boris all have strong Jupiter Neptune aspects = over hopeful and according to Ebertin can attract scandal through instability. Farage is both upbeat and downcast – but he’d be pleased at anything that brought him back into the ring to fight.

  Political attitudes may change over the sobering three years of financial hardship ahead – on both sides of the channel – so by 2027 a different set of arrangements on trade may be possible.

Ukraine looking to retrieve a stolen Crimea

Ukraine has been heartened by their army’s success in forcing  Russian military to retreat from territory stolen during the war, notably from the key city of Kherson.  It lies just north of Crimea, and the defeat there represents a major setback to Putin’s dream of creating a land bridge from Russia to Crimea. Ukrainian officials view this as a precursor to taking Crimea back, which was illegally annexed by Putin in 2014. Zelensky has said there will be no peace until Ukraine has taken back Crimea.

  What is not good news is that Russian strikes on Ukrainian infrastructure have left approximately 50 percent of the energy system out of order which coincides with the first snow. The fear is that repairs to the damage will be halted and Poland is preparing for an influx of refugees as Ukraine may become increasingly unlivable.

   The Crimea  Annexation Treaty was signed against international opposition on 18 March 2014 1.15 pm and that chart does have an undermining tr Neptune conjunct the Pisces Sun from May 2023 onwards and a high-tension, disruptive tr Uranus opposition the Saturn from July 2023 onwards – so there could be signs of it starting to collapse.  Though the major period of total upheaval would not come until 2027/29.

  Tamila Tasheva, the Ukrainian minister tasked with handling the Crimea problem looks to be having a tough and not altogether progressive three years ahead.

  Sergei Aksyonov, the Russia puppet governor of Crimea installed 9 October 2014, looks stressed ahead but not at total disaster point until mid 2024 and beyond.

  General Valeriy Zaluzhni, 8 July 1973, the head of the Ukrainian army, credited with running an astute and successful campaign in contrast to the Russians, is a Sun Cancer square Uranus and Mars in upfront Aries. He will have a surge of confidence and triumph early this December to mid January, and again late September and through October 2023. But he’ll also have moments of high uncertainty from May 2023 onwards as tr Neptune squares his Saturn.

  The Ukraine, 24 August 1991 2.31pm country chart will be forced to change tactics or direction with tr Uranus opposition the 10th house Pluto once more next April. Given the trickster nature of Uranus this can be change for the better as it was last month or being prompted by outside forces to accept that significant alterations in hopes and plans need to be adopted. Tr Neptune also returns to oppose the Ukraine Mars mid March for a few weeks and repeating later into early 2024 – that usually coincides with a panicky sense of failure.  The pressure on Zelensky looks fairly relentless through much of 2023 though like his military commander Zaluzhni he will be upbeat patches this December/January and through autumn 2023. 

  What is an interesting parallel is the Crimea War of 1853 when Russia lost to an alliance of the Ottoman Empire, France, the UK. It marked a turning point for the Russian Empire with a weakened Army, a drained treasury and lessening of Russia’s influence in Europe. The empire would take decades to recover. It started 16 October 1853 with Pluto at 1 degree Taurus. Tr Pluto by 2024 will be similarly at 1 degree of a Fixed Aquarius. Uranus was also as now in Taurus.

  Maybe I am being depressing but I’m not sure this will end in 2023. Hope I’m wrong but —- 

For previous Ukraine posts see in Search,

Tom Ford – a fashion trailblazer for a bygone age

Tom Ford has decided to hang up his tailor’s scissors for good having become disenchanted with the fashion business and selling out his eponymous beauty, eyewear and clothing brand for nearly $3 billion. He made his name transforming a near bankrupt Gucci into a fashion powerhouse before launching his own company in 2005. In recent years his focus has turned to movies and he directed two critically acclaimed films, A Single Man (2009) and Nocturnal Animals (2016).

  He was born 27 August 1961 in Texas which made for an uncomfortable childhood, given his lack of aptitude for sports or guns. Even then he dressed in what became his trademark well-groomed uniform of daily apparel. He engenders fierce loyalty amongst former employees who describe him as “incredibly exacting”, “insanely witty”, “kind”. Anna Wintour says of him, “he is an incredibly hard-working man with a wicked sense of humour who is the most loyal and kind friend.” “He’s driven,” says a former colleague. “You don’t get to be Tom Ford and sell a business for $2.3bn if you aren’t certain of what you want in life.” Recently he lost his husband and partner of 35 years after a long illness in September 2021. Together they had a son, Jack, by surrogate 10 years ago.

  He is a meticulous and controlling Sun Pluto in Virgo so will be focused on detail and that is sextile Neptune, hinting at his driving ambition. He has a ‘leadership’ Leo North Node close to an inventive Uranus which may be on the focal point of a Yod of Jupiter Saturn in Capricorn sextile a Pisces Moon. At best such a Uranian Yod makes him a creative trailblazer, keen to buck convention for make a mark with his own original ideas.  He also has an unaspected Mars in Libra which will make him uncompromising and lead to a life of non-stop activity

  Tr Pluto has been wending its way conjunct his Saturn and Jupiter and opposition his Venus in Cancer throughout his partner’s illness and death which would be emotionally anguished and challenging. This high stress phase is slowly coming to an end with tr Pluto conjunct his Jupiter bringing him financial bounty.

   He won’t find the next two or three years easy as he steps away from what used to consume his every waking moment with tr Saturn opposing his Sun Pluto, his Solar Arc Mars square his Pluto and his Solar Arc Pluto conjunct his Neptune. Maybe another movie will emerge.   

Cristiano Ronaldo – life in the sporting pressure cooker

Football is getting its shoelaces in a tangle what with the Qatari debacle in the vagina-shaped stadium (go read Marina Hyde, Guardian) and now the greatest footballer of all time Cristiano Ronaldo falling out with Manchester United. He gave an unsanctioned interview to Piers Morgan on Talk TV slating the manager Erik Ten Hag, the owners, the club’s infrastructure and former United figures. If lawyers find it violated the terms of his contract it could end his £500,000 a week deal seven months early without compensation, which would leave him free to sign for another club when the transfer window opens in January.

He first signed with Manchester United in 2003, aged 18, winning the FA Cup in his first season, followed by three consecutive Premier League titles, the Champions League and the FIFA Club World Cup. He then moved to Real Madrid and Juventus before returning to Manchester United in 2021. He will captain Portugal at the World Cup in Qatar.

  Born 5 February 1985 10.20 am Funchal, Portugal, Ronaldo is a Sun Aquarius opposition a Leo Moon and square an intense Taurus North Node. He also has a ramped up Venus Mars in Aries inconjunct Pluto which has, no doubt, pushed him into superhuman efforts but won’t make relationships with authority figures easy.

 Manchester United, 24 April 1902, is a half-good fit with him since the MU Jupiter is conjunct his Sun carrying him to greater glory. But the MU Taurus Sun is also opposition hi Pluto for a running power struggle. Erik Ten Hag, 2 February 1970, has his Jupiter conjunct Ronaldo’s Pluto and his Pluto opposition Ronaldo’s Mars Venus so it was never going to be a harmonious fit.

  The relationship chart between Man United and Ronaldo is friendly and business-like with a composite Sun Venus square Saturn – but tr Neptune is chipping away at the foundations of trust over the coming year.

 Ronaldo ahead looks jolted and jangled over the coming three months, then facing a run of catastrophes at the same time as being on the receiving end of copious amount of money as tr Pluto is conjunct his Jupiter from February 2023 and these two entirely contradictory influences run on through 2024 as well.

  His spirits will pick up from late January 223 as Jupiter moves across his Ascendant so another lucrative transfer looks likely. 2026 looks to be the time when he decide to hang up his boots and refocus his career and life.

Nancy Pelosi – an iconic stature in US politics

As Nancy Pelosi steps down as Democratic party leader after legislative triumphs spanning four presidencies, she is earning plaudits as a legendary figure with monumental achievements including Obama’s Affordable Care Act. She is renowned as a bare-knuckle, ruthlessly effective politician and one who was able to draw together disparate factions in the party with an iron will.

  She was born 26 March 1940 at 3.10pm Baltimore, with a congressman father but came to politics late after having five children within six years with her banker husband. After 2018 she became Donald Trump’s biggest problem fiercely opposing his views. It is thought her retiral was partly motivated by the recent attack on her 82-year-old husband, Paul Pelosi, assaulted in their San Francisco home, and hospitalised with a fractured skull.

  She has an intense and determined 8th house pro-active Aries Sun trine Pluto; with her Pluto in an unyielding a square to Saturn. She also had an ambitious and enduring Mars Venus Uranus in Taurus conjunct her Midheaven. A real heavyweight personality. She also has Mercury in Pisces in her 7th opposition Neptune, sextile/trine her Taurus planets which may have allowed her to soft-pedal at times to get agreement since the rest of her chart suggests a bulldozing approach. She also has a Scorpio Moon. A definite presence.

Trump – refusing to go quietly

Never one to take a hint, Trump has brushed aside Republican pleas to stand down, ignored the implications of Murdoch pulling the plug on support and turned a blind eye to major donors disappearing. Even Ivanka has ducked.

  Maybe it would have been too big a climbdown for his fragile ego to hand the baton elsewhere. Maybe he is deluded enough to imagine being a candidate will stave off legal jeopardy as he faces a mountain of suits. What is certain is exactly now he is feeling cornered and scared with a dead-halt and totally-trapped Solar Arc Mars within minutes of a degree in square to his Pluto.

  The Bid chart of 15 November 2022 circa 9pm Palm Beach may not be much of a help – if the Trump and Clinton bid charts for 2016 are anything to go by. You’d have been hard pushed to make much sense of either vis a vis the result.

  What is clear from this one is the entertainment value with Venus Mercury Sun in the 5th trine an over-hopeful Jupiter Neptune conjunct the Midheaven from the 9th.

 From a previous post: “His Solar Arc Pluto is moving to square his Saturn, exact in April/May 2023 which won’t have him leaping for joy either. If his birth time is accurate by the 2024 election he has Uranus just putting a toe into his 10th with tr Neptune on the cusp of his 8th and tr Pluto on the cusp of his 6th – so his life will be facing a major transition on several fronts. He does have Jupiter moving through his 10th from May 2024 which can be successful or it can be a period of grandstanding. But he looks in shock in October 2024 with tr Uranus square his Mars; and down in the dumps over the Inauguration.”

Ivanka, 30 October 1981, has said she loves her father but chooses to prioritize her family and private life this time round, though Jared attended the Trump announcement. She, along with her brothers and father, is in the line of fire of a civil fraud lawsuit involved in the family real-estate business, for falsely inflating his net worth by billions in order to enrich himself and secure favourable loans. The lawsuit seeks to bar all four Trumps from serving as executives in New York, and to prohibit the Trump Organization from acquiring any commercial real estate or receiving loans from New York-based entities for five years. Though the New York suit is not a criminal prosecution, a referral to federal prosecutors threatens further serious legal peril for Trump and his three adult children.

  Ivanka’s Scorpio Sun was conjunct the recent Solar Eclipse for a shake up and the 2023/2024 Eclipses will catch her Pluto, Jupiter, Mercury and Saturn in Libra conjunction. Jupiter Pluto is successful but can bring conflict with authorities because of a laws-don’t-apply-to-me approach.

  Her 2023 will be littered with obstacles and disappointments, though she’ll forge ahead nonetheless. 2024 looks most fraught when her Saturn gets rattled by a Solar Eclipse, usually a time of chickens coming home to roost with a restrictive and high-tension Solar Arc Saturn conjunct her Uranus as well.

  The relationship between Ivanka and her father was always fraught and unkind, demanding one of them play the victim and sacrifice their identity to keep the connection running. There will be more separation in 2023 with tr Saturn opposition the composite Sun Mars and Saturn; with a fair few hiccups between now and next spring as well.

  Melania having clearly decided which side her bread was buttered on is playing the dutiful wife. With her Sun and three other planets in Taurus and Jupiter in Scorpio as well as a Capricorn Moon, financial security will be key to her peace of mind. The recent Solar Eclipse was conjunct her Jupiter and opposition her Sun – over optimism will be a problem although the Eclipse will have presented her with a chance to get out of a rut. She’ll be pushing vigorously ahead in 2023/24 with tr Pluto square her Jupiter. Though her relationship with Donald will sag through 2023 as plans fail to succeed.

See previous Post: 11 November 2022, DeSantis and Trump.    

Petula Clark – not winding down

Petula Clark still going strong at 90 on stage singing her heart out in the musical Mary Poppins.

  Born 15 November 1932 at 5am (unverified) in Epsom, England, she started her showbusiness career as a child entertainer on radio during the war and lived with her grandparents in Wales with no electricity or running water. She is of the stalwart Saturn in Capricorn opposition Pluto Depression generation which is square an inventive Uranus opposition Venus. Overflowing with initiative from her Cardinal Grand Cross she will have been relentlessly restless and always keen to start a new project.

  Her enduring Scorpio Sun is trine Pluto. She also had the luck to be born with Jupiter and Neptune Mars in Virgo which has produced a fair few notables from 1932/33 including Joan Collins. Her Virgo planets square a changeable Gemini Moon which suit her to a life of constant variety and change. An 8th house Moon indicating grandparent nurturing would suggest the birth time might be about right.

  She has been married for over 60 years to a music business publicist though they seem to have drifted apart and she has admitted her guilt at leaving her three children as she travelled constantly for work.

A cheering example to all of us moving through our prime years .

Dominic Raab – not a wilting variety Pisces

Not lauded for his negotiating skills in Brussels where he was nicknamed The Turnip when discussing terms for Exiting the EU, Dominic Rabb, now Justice Minister, has faced over the years concerns about the way he has treated officials in the departments he headed. All hotly denied and he is litigious.

   But following on from Gavin Williamson’s departure there is an upsurge of significant criticism of his behaviour. The Guardian says: “Many sources in the MoJ told The Guardian Raab created a “culture of fear” in the department. Sources maintain Raab was “demeaning rather than demanding”, was “very rude and aggressive” and “wasn’t just unprofessional, he was a bully”.

  Born 25 February 1974 he is a Sun Pisces inconjunct Pluto and square Neptune – the Sun Pluto will give him problems with wielding authority and a strong Pluto tends to go in for contempt. He also has a heavyweight Mars in Taurus in a volatile inconjunct to Uranus. With his Uranus in an emotionally cool, ideologically-dogmatic Air Grand Trine to Saturn in Gemini trine Jupiter. His Mars is also square Jupiter and trine Venus in Capricorn – with his Venus inconjunct Saturn. He will be full-on and uneasy within himself at the same time with so many quincunxes.

  He was buoyed up by his Jupiter/North Node midpoint over his new appointment but that runs out in early December to be followed immediately by a job-loss Jupiter/Saturn and considerable disruption through most of December/January; setbacks in February and uncertainty after that.

  His relationship chart with Rishi Sunak at the best of times is immensely strained with a composite Sun, Venus opposition Pluto square Mars and trine Neptune and trine Saturn. And is sagging badly at the moment, blowing up in December into January – which will give Sunak a problem since it calls his judgement seriously into question.

 In Oscar Wilde’s sardonic phrase: ‘To lose one may be regarded as a misfortune, to lose two looks like carelessness.’

Tiffany Trump snags her billionaire-heir beau

Tiffany Trump married her long-time beau Michael Boulos, a Lebanese-American billionaire heir and business executive with interests in Nigeria on Saturday at Mar-a-Lago in a deliberately flashy display of conspicuous wealth. She is one of the “rich kids of Instagram” frequently including photographs of herself with friends or with descendants of famous parents or grandparents. She is Trump’s second daughter and his only child with Marla Maple. She flirted with the music business and modelling before doing a law degree and has made numerous appearances campaigning for her father.

 Born 13 October 1993 at 12.50pm West Palm Beach,  she is a sociable and confident Sun Jupiter in Libra square the excitable and inventive Uranus Neptune in Capricorn; with a hard-working Virgo Moon conjunct Venus, sextile an influencer Pluto and trine Uranus Neptune. She also has an ultra-determined Mars in Scorpio conjunct Mercury which will give her a penetrating way of putting across her opinions and a tendency to harbour grudges.

  Her husband Michael Boulos, 25 August 1997, is a Sun Virgo square Pluto and sextile Mars in Scorpio so controlling and dogged; with a volatile and independent-minded Uranus and Jupiter square Mars. His Virgo Sun chimes with her Venus though they are not conjunct and his Venus in Libra with her Sun. His self-reliant Saturn opposes her Sun Jupiter so she’ll be more outgoing but it may help to keep her practical though work may get in the way of togetherness and building a home as a couple.

  Their relationship chart has a Half Grand Sextile of the composite Sun opposition Saturn square Jupiter; and sextile Pluto trine Uranus Neptune. Saturn in relationship charts is good for longevity, less so for warmth, but good for business – and Jupiter brings mutual confidence and smooths rough edges. Pluto helps cement them together as long as they continue to share joint ambitions. It may go through an initial dip with tr Neptune opposition the Sun in 2023 but in general is a reasonably solid connection.

  The wedding chart set for 5pm is more questionable with a 7th house Sun, Venus, Mercury opposition Uranus square a 10th house chilly and dutiful Saturn; and trine an unrealistic, castles-in-the-air Jupiter Neptune with a can-be-influential or can-be-destructive Pluto on the Midheaven.  Mind you it was held in a hurricane which can’t have helped. Be interesting to see how the chart plays out.

  Tiffany’s relationship with her father is just as fraught as Ivanka’s with the old man. In Tiffany’s case there is a scary and dominating Mars Pluto in an explosive opposition to Uranus – being around the Donald would be like walking through a minefield.