Never again. Lessons will be learnt. The cop-outs from monumental institutional failures follow a sickeningly repetitive pattern. Lies and cover-up costing the taxpayer billions in compensation and delays in payouts even after promises have been dragged out of a reluctant government. Tory and Labour, politicians and civil service – a culture of institutional arrogance, evasiveness and denial.
The Infected Blood Inquiry has found that doctors, health service managers, pharmaceutical companies, and politicians share responsibility for 30,000 blameless people being infected with HIV and hepatitis C across more than 20 years. 3,000 have died, with most of the others consigned to live diminished and blighted lives. The medics knew from the early 1980s that the blood and plasma being transfused into patients could be tainted with potentially fatal viruses, yet they kept using it for another decade. Most of the recipients suffered from haemophilia, but there were also new mothers, children with breathing difficulties and accident patients who needed transfusions. Haemophiliac children were used as ‘objects for research’ and given products derived from imported blood, some of which came from American prisoners and drug addicts.
Sir Brian Langstaff who led the inquiry was excoriating in his criticism, talking of the establishment’s reflexive ‘denial, disbelief, dismissiveness and delay’.
Coming in the middle of the Post Office Inquiry which has exposed blatant and outrageous malfeasance in pursuance of a cover up for a management/political/commercial screw up with innocent lives blighted and destroyed – and in the week when it became clear that NHS whistleblowers were harassed rather than listened to – maybe the time has come to say enough is enough. The cynics will point to Hillsborough, Grenfell, Iraq, Sir David Kelly Inquiry, the Child Abuse Inquiry, Windrush – in some cases a whitewash job and in others forthright in their criticism but did action follow??
Pinning an astro-signature on the Establishment is not easy but in mundane astrology Saturn rules government and law and order, the civil service resides in the 6th house, the ruling classes in the 10th and the legislature is the 11th. In the UK chart Saturn in Leo which can have a stubborn/arrogant streak sits in the 11th. A smokescreening Neptune rules the 6th; with Neptune in the financial 2nd opposition a secretive 8th house Mars and trine the 10th house Cancer Moon.
Transiting Uranus shaking up the UK’s Fixed planets in recent years is on its final stretch squaring the UK 11th house Saturn exactly now till late month; and repeating late December to mid March 2025. So arguably there may be a jolting shift onto new attitudes for the future. Plus the Solar Arc North Node is also within a degree of being square the 11th house Saturn – much pressure being applied.
The UK chart has a fair-minded Libra Ascendant so likes to look as if it always acts within the law and in pursuit of decency and justice. But that is the persona, the brand image it projects. Tr Pluto is trine the Uranus conjunct the Ascendant from the 12th so will be exerting pressure on the UK’s reputation.
Last but not least both tr Uranus moving through the 8th and the Solar Arc Uranus conjunct the 8th house Mars in 2025 may be blasting more buried scandals into plain light of day.
Skipping across historical charts:
UK Civil Service 23 November 1853
Westminster 27 April 1840
Simon de Montfort Parliament 20 January 1265 JC
What stands out from all three is the proliferation of Taurus planets. Taurus gives continuity and endurance, though at the heart of Taurus always lies a desire for power and an acquisitiveness which dislikes letting go – of resources or control.
Sir Brian Langstaff whose oral summary of his report left no doubt as to his condemnation of a system of deliberate obfuscation, intriguingly is also a Sun Mercury in Taurus square an unbudgeable Saturn Pluto in Leo with his Mars also in Leo exactly conjunct the UK’s 11th house Saturn. Maybe just maybe, his denunciation of the culprits embedded in a cosy culture which thought itself untouchable might manage to bring a new culture of transparency and responsibility in future.
See previous posts: Infected Blood – 50 years on victims still await justice. 27th July 2023
And UK politics – a broken model + 1999 Solar Eclipse chart
14th January 2024
Jane says above that “since the outer planets are moving into new homes, my faint hopes for a little positive change may not be too delusional”. At Prime Minister’s Questions today, Sir Keir Starmer has called for a legally binding duty of candour for all public service employees. This would ensure that mistakes and poor practice are called out, thus ushering in an era of transparency and preventing scandals such as all those discussed here. A faint glimmer of hope at last?
I have a faint memory from years back of a manager of a British Steel plant being held criminally responsible for the death of a workman in an accident. He had not attacked the worker or physically caused the mishap but his managerial position came with a duty of care and with that came criminal consequences if a failure led to a death.
The poor tax paying peasants would feel a great deal easier if some of the up-the-line smarties were actually given severe penalties – getting sniffy and humiliated at an inquiry really is not enough.
Marjorie
What brand of tissues does Paula Vennells use, are they by any crocodile skin or suffused with Novichok?
I see she is using the widely popular “I didn’t know”, “I’m the victim of my own trusting nature” type of defence so far. Amazing how many people in senior positions know nothing about the activities of the organisations that are paying them huge salaries and bonuses…..Where possible, they should all be made to personally contribute to funds that recompense victims of these multiple scandals. I won’t hold my breath.
I wonder, with this inquiry, the infected blood scandal, the coming Grenfell inquiry as well as that of the DWP over the treatment of disabled people on benefits if this is part of Pluto’s sojourn in Aquarius and a growing public awareness of an interconnected and highly corrupt political class.
Also, watching the PO Inquiry has left me with a bit of a crush on the KC Jason Beer. Quite extraordinary ability as he slowly and gradually fillets Vennells – it’s a little like watching someone slice up an eel.
Agree VF! A man to have on your side I think….
Loved all of comments today. So much truth known by the ordinary powerless people. Can I also say that the 1950s womens state pension is another scandal. Even though found guilty, the extremely powerful DWP won’t take responsibility. Too busy targeting the poorest, especially all the saintly carers.
Very good point Lynne.The WASPI issue is coming to a head. As is the Post Office thing where the barrister is doing a stellar job on Paula Vennells who is the epitome of an extremely disturbing bureaucracy apparatchik.It feels like dominos teetering…
…and to add that she is a very salutary lesson to all apparatchiks that they can be thrown to the wolves-as she is with alacrity- at any time on a whim. Which is kind of consolation.
If we wish to apportion blame, then ultimately the American system in which there is no welfare state safety net, and the most marginalized and outcast of society are forced to sell their very life blood for cash in order to survive is at fault.
Surely, the UK medical establishment was acting in good faith with their decision to import Factor 8 from the USA – at enormous expense – I remember at the time it was billed as a breakthrough wonder treatment which, miraculously, enabled haemophiliacs, for the first time in history, to live normal lives.
Of course, the fact that Factor 8 was distilled from many thousands of blood donations, made under the iniquitous US system was never ever mentioned, and brushed under the carpet as being too unpleasant for British sensibilities to bear.
As an aside, human blood – still collected in this paid for system – is one of the USA’s top merchandise exports by dollar value.
According to the news, if heat treatment had been continued with these supplies rather than quietly discontinued, the blood would have been safe to use, where ever it originated from. The blame is solely with those who decided against heat treatment because of the extra cost!
From what I understand is that the UK which is reliant on donated blood only. We have never paid our donors for it, sought blood supplies from America and were given what was thought at the time was this marvellous deal. Basically all the blood we needed and blood products in return for our non-contaminated blood.
Whether someone at our end knew how dangerous American blood was, I don’t know. I suspect someone knew, and kept silent. The question is, are we still buying American blood? And even with what we know and the more advanced methods in treating it: can it ever be really safe.
You know I remember reading in the newspaper in the late 80s when Fergie was pregnant with Beatrice that she had her own blood taken just in case she might need a transfusion. I did wonder at the time about it.
Linda – all Royals have their own blood supply taken with them when travelling abroad and usually have a supply of their own kept anyway, in case they should need it, I think this has been the case for many years.
Well I knew about the Queen doing it. The problem is that you have to keep doing it as the blood becomes completely unusable after awhile. Which might explain why the Queen went on very few trips abroad. Though old age plays a part in that.
Linda – this entire article about donated blood in the USA from 1984 is worth reading. Here’s a sample:
“The threat of transfusion- associated AIDS has been accompanied by pressure from patients, doctors and hospitals to abandon the system of voluntary donation of blood and to develop a directed donation system – a variation on the old method. Under this form of directed donation, a patient arranges in advance to provide himself with an adequate blood supply by calling on friends or relatives to donate blood specifically for his use.” New York Times, 18 November, 1984, nytimes.com
Over here there are rules about who can donate blood (and I am talking about a similar time period.) These usually cover about who can’t. So if you are under a certain weight, you can’t. If you are over a certain age you can’t. If you have had an operation you can’t. If have had a blood transfusion or receive blood products you can’t.
And if you have Haemophilia, HIV-AIDS Hepatitis B C etc…
But if you want to donate blood or an organ to a specific family member, they are not really interested, not unless they suggest it. Otherwise the blood goes to the blood bank. And the organ unless you are deemed a familial match goes to whomsoever is deemed next in the queue. Nowadays you have to agree to be an organ donor if you reapply for your driver’s license online.
Not quite.It is only by 1984, that heat-treated blood products, in which the viruses had been deactivated, started to become available. This, combined with improvements in donor vetting, meant that by 1986 UK patients were receiving safer treatment, although some risks remained. PRIOR to this blood and blood products were known to transfer viruses such as hepatitis, so the use of pooled blood products increased the risk of infection significantly.
The danger of contamination rose further when a shortage of UK-produced factor concentrate meant it was imported from the United States, which used blood from high-risk paid donors, such as prisoners and drug addicts.These risks were ignored by leading clinicians and government who failed to take appropriate action to end their use and return to safer products. Pharmaceutical companies and leading clinicians did not share appropriate information about risks with patients and patient groups.(all this from Hemophila Soc directly) Therefore criminal prosecutions against pharma, clinicians and health ministers must ensue.
Thanks Anna I missed your post earlier. No wonder hospitals make you sign away your rights. Too dangerous for them not to.
The Pharmaceutical industry has a lot to answer for. And they never come close to taking responsibility for their actions.
Pluto in Pisces in the England 1066 and the U.K. 1801 charts is probably why the Establishment is so difficult to pin down. The institutions are easy enough to identify but the way power is exercised within them is actually much more of a shape shifting entity where the decision making process is deliberately kept opaque.
@ Hugh Fowler
Excellent commentaries, is it possible to look at the relations with Saturn, Jupiter and Mars, there is a lot of abuse of power, inflation of benefit for the few, and the various types of aggression. Most depressing to think that very little changes and the pious pronouncements are just as empty (Pisces).
Everyone knows how these scenarios work out in Britain. First the institutions of government through neglect incompetence and malpractice create the circumstances under which ordinary people suffer harm. Once the problem comes to public notice the cycle of denial, cover up and delay then commences. This is undertaken mainly so that those involved in causing the various failures can escape with their careers and pensions intact. After decades of prevarication during which both most of the perpetrators and victims have died a public inquiry is called which normally ends up identifying the various causes of the scandal. There then follows the usual empty pledges about lessons learned and how the failings must never happen again. Finally and most shamefully there is the round of expiation in which the general public who are the very group of people who suffered the abuse in the first place are made to pay for it out of their taxes. Like most people I am utterly sick and tired of this cycle. Until then people in positions of power are made to personally bear some of the financial consequences for their failings things will never change.
Yes. We are all sick of it. We want change. Yet who can make the change? Westminster! Turkeys do not vote for Christmas. From the predominant two party system to Brexit sanctioning. Our future, like Britain, is controlled by the few. I can’t see how many of us can respect this so called Democracy. As our Parliament sweep anything they do not like under the carpet and then close ranks. Like you state – they conveniently put the blame on us, by making us pay for the compensation and their mistakes.
power corrupts and institutions are powerful unfortunately
We will see, I don’t see any real interest in compensating the people who died, or were injured, by VITT due to the Astra Zeneca vaccine (Vaccine Induced Thrombocytopenia and Thrombosis), even though it is a recognised condition and people rolled up their sleeves in good faith to do ‘the right thing’. The Vaccine Damage Payment scheme is totally inadequate. It would be good for the Government to apply this latest lesson to an ongoing situation and others, like nuclear injuries, that they also know about.
“Sir Brian Langstaff whose oral summary of his report left no doubt as to his condemnation of a system of deliberate obfuscation, intriguingly is also a Sun Mercury in Taurus square an unbudgeable Saturn Pluto in Leo with his Mars also in Leo exactly conjunct the UK’s 11th house Saturn.”
Lord Clarke has come in for some criticism as health minister in Margaret Thatcher’s government from ‘82 – ‘85 and as health secretary, ‘88 – ‘90. It’s interesting too that Lord Clarke has a line-up of Jupter/Saturn/Uranus in Taurus and possibly his Moon, since we have no TOB. Lord Clarke is currently undergoing his Uranus Return. But he also has Mars at 29 Cancer conjunct Pluto/Mercury in Leo at 1 & 3 degrees respectively, which of course is being hit by Pluto in Aquarius. The NN/Mars in Aries conjunction is currently on his South Node.
“Tory and Labour, politicians and civil service – a culture of institutional arrogance, evasiveness and denial.”
Thanks Marjorie, a very meaningful post and so interesting to see all these charts together. There is something about institutions and also organisations that fosters these attitudes – along with throwing up defensive walls when challenged, and failing to engage with the public while victim or whistle-blower blaming and shaming if at all possible. What happens to people inside these fortresses? Why do many of them appear to lose not only their common sense, but their humanity?
Much seems to be going on across the charts. I noticed, too, that the 1066 chart for Britain has deceptive
tr Neptune conjunct its Pisces Moon (a confused or deceived public?) squaring Uranus 28 Sagittarius. There’s revolutionary potential there, but also it looks chaotic.
Tr Pluto is conjunct the 1066 29 Capricorn Venus for some financial pressure, and perhaps some (more) deep, dark secrets to be revealed? Tr Uranus has been conjunct the 22 Taurus Neptune, and Saturn in Pisces opposes the 1066 Saturn in Virgo this year too – quite health/NHS orientated, and speaks of victims and, hopefully, saviours too. Saturn will conjunct the 20 Pisces South Node, and 22 Pisces Chiron early next year, which might underline the establishment’s refusal to really change, but the need to sacrifice those South Node ideas and move towards the ideal of service to others in the Virgo North Node? There is tremendous resistance to change, with few wanting to disrupt their cosy little bubbles.
However, cosy bubbles have been burst a number of times in history, and we can only hope this is one of them!
Just to throw something else into the mix – two obvious times that could be relevant are the English Reformation, and the English Civil War. Dating the Reformation to begin in 1534, it’s a year when Neptune moved from late religious Pisces into 0 Aries by November. Pluto was around 2 Aquarius that year. Seems familiar!
The English Civil War began on 22 August, 1642. Neptune was 27 Scorpio, Pluto 4 Gemini. Saturn was 23 Pisces, and the Nodes opposing their current position in Aries, at 15 Libra.
Since we’re now in a period when the outer planets are moving into new homes, my faint hopes for a little positive change may not be too delusional.
As a non astrologer but a follower I always welcome the perspectives you bring to the table, particularly where deceit and smokescreens exist. Whilst we live in hard times, it is some comfort that on occasion these lies are revealed and the true nature of”our Lords and masters” is shown for what it is.
Thankyou
Do you think these ‘chickens coming home to roost’ episodes (Post Office, blood scandal) are at all influenced by Pluto moving into Aquarius?