Barclays bank and senior executives are to be charged by the UK Serious Fraud office for conspiracy to commit fraud in their dealings during the financial crisis of 2008. The Telegraph says: “The move by the SFO is hugely significant as they are the first criminal charges brought against either a bank or top executives over events during the 2008 crisis, which brought the banking system to its knees.” The irony is Barclays were the only bank who saved the UK money by getting propped up by the Qataris instead of the taxpayer. In contrast to RBS, who left the UK with a huge loss and Lloyds. The fates have a warped sense of humour or maybe just governments who have blithely and consistently disregarded public outrage, and left the real culprits alone with their gold-plated pensions.
It will also provide further headaches not just for Qatar who are facing myriad other problems at home; but also for the UK, since Qataris own a goodly dollop of London – Canary Wharf, Harrods, Chelsea Barracks, the Shard, a substantial chunk of Heathrow Airport and the upmarket supermarket Sainsbury’s.
Barclays, 20 July 1896, has tr Uranus square the Cancer Sun now and into 2018, so is undergoing quite a jolt; with tr Neptune square their Pluto and opposition Solar Arc Mars as well this year, they’ll have a decidedly sinking feeling. Worse is to come as the Solar Arc Mars moves to square the Pluto by 2019, followed by Solar Arc Saturn square Pluto in 2020. The likelihood is the bank will settle so they may be running into other problems in coming year. But it does look like shuddering-halt time ahead.
John Varley, former chief executive, 1 April 1956, has tr Uranus square his Uranus exactly now, and the August Solar Eclipse will conjunct his Pluto, which may empower him to make a powerful stance in defence; but with tr Pluto conjunct his Mars in 2018/19, it looks a long, tough struggle.