Farage’s Reform Party has followed its usual pattern of snatching defeat from the jaws of victory by losing a major donor and strategist just as they looked like becoming a force to be reckoned with on the political scene. Admittedly it was over an issue which would gain general support as a new Reform MP asked the Prime minister whether he would consider banning the burqa. Though it led to Zia Yusuf, a Muslim businessman, resigning as Reform Party chairman as a result.
Richard Tice, the Deputy chairman of Reform Party’s deputy leader says discussion about the burqa must not be ‘forced underground’ when it is policy in some European countries. He said “I think it is right that we should have a debate about whether or not the burqa is appropriate for a nation that’s founded in Christianity, where women are equal citizens and should not be viewed as second-class citizens.”
But is is still a messy exit, raising questions about why Yusuf was there in the first place.
Farage has a reputation for spectacular fall outs, the most recent being Rupert Lowe MP in March, who was cancelled without due process after a spectacular hissy fit. See previous post 12 March 2025.
Farage and his Deputy Richard Tice, 13 September 1964, are looking undermined from the 9th of this month with tr Neptune square their composite Sun Venus conjunction and even edgier with tense and bad tempered eruptions in July right through till this November – and those influences repeat into 2026. I would not be surprised if a separation was on the cards.
Lee Anderson, Reform chief whip, 6 January 1967, and Farage equally are out of sorts through the next year with tr Uranus square the composite Sun and tr Neptune Saturn conjunct the composite Venus.
Farage himself, 3 April 1963 4.30 pm Farnborough, England, an 8th house Sun Aries conjunct Mars, with a fiery Sagittarius Moon will be jittered and jangled with tr Uranus conjunct his Venus in later this month for an emotional upset; and tr Uranus square his Saturn from this August for further eruptions, which will continue into 2026. At which point he also has a panicky-failure tr Saturn Neptune conjunct his Mars extending into 2027.
The Reform Party chart, 23 November 2018 has tr Uranus rattling (or blowing up) its Sagittarius Sun Jupiter square Mars from this August through 2026.
On burqas: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Denmark, Italy (in some localities), the Netherlands (in public places) and Spain (in some parts of Catalonia) have banned burqas. In Germany some states ban them in schools. Switzerland officially banned burqas, hijabs and other face coverings in public after a referendum. The ban has been implemented primarily citing security concerns, social integration, and to promote gender equality.
France banned the wearing of face-covering headgear in public spaces in 2011, including the burqa, which is a full-body covering that covers the face.
Jack Straw, a Labour MP for Blackburn, with a third of the electorate Muslim, raised the subject in 2006 and said he would no longer see constituents who covered their faces. There then followed a TV Question Time debate over which the discussion chairman David Dimbleby should hang his head in shame since it was badly mishandled – and the political debate was effectively buried thereafter.
Nigel Farage appears to be some kind of catalyst for the UK – a trickster, a merchant of mayhem. At the same time he’s able to tune into what lies beneath, and broadcast it to the nation – possibly thanks to radio Uranus, powerful Pluto, and his communicative Virgo ascendant all sitting together.
Farage has some interesting links to the 1066 chart for the UK. His powerful Virgo bundle connects with the 1066 Jupiter, 7 Virgo, and Saturn, 16 Virgo. His Sagittarian Moon is conjunct the 1066 Uranus, 28 Sagittarius, and square the 1066 Moon at 29 Pisces – “I shot an arrow in the air, it fell to land I know not where”.
His Saturn in Pisces aligns with both Plutos for 1066 and 1801. Current transits of Saturn and Neptune in Pisces have been highlighting the old 1066 Moon square Uranus, and the upcoming uncomfortable Solar Eclipse at 29 Virgo in September offers focus, energy and potential upheavals resonating with the original upheaval, and new king’s arrival, at the time of the Norman invasion.
Farage’s natal chart also makes intriguing links with most of the eclipses of 1928. What’s curious is that 1928 saw the Equal Franchise Act pass on 2nd July. All women over 21 were then ‘allowed’ to vote for the first time. The election in 1929 had a Grand Trine in fire – Venus 27 Aries, Saturn 28 Sagittarius, Neptune 28 Leo. Jupiter was 27 Taurus. Farage’s natal Venus is 29 Taurus, while his Moon is 26 Sagittarius. The 1929 election resulted in a hung parliament/minority government, and led to the start of a series of National Governments or multiple party coalitions during the troubled and financially unstable 1930s. Could something like that happen again?
Perhaps also worth mentioning – the Wall Street Crash, 29 October 1929 (ADB) has Saturn at 26 Sagittarius. It’s Pluto, 19 Cancer, opposes Reform’s Pluto, 19 Capricorn, and aspects the UK 1801 Moon in Cancer.
According to Sky News Zia has reversed his resignation and is staying with Reform though not as chairman.
I understood he was coming back. And also that the role was to split as Yussuf had been working 18 hour days. And this is voluntary, so he wasn’t even being paid.
I think the burqa is the symbol of female oppression. We don’t do chastity belts, foot binding or FGM. If you are out in public spaces,
It is important in a face to face environment to see that person’s face. It is important for security reasons. We live in a country where everyone will find themselves on cctv, throughout the course of a day. So if it is important for security, then these women are being given a free pass, purely so as to not offend the Muslim population.
The Burqa is about control over the woman. It is about segregating these women from general interaction with those not of her family or religion. And although there are women who claim it is their choice and is nobody’s business, we should remember that it has only been a few years that a white British woman was thrown out of a pub for wearing a hat. And that hat showed her face. And she wasn’t causing any trouble.
We should also remember that many who protested about the way Israel has retaliated against Hamas and were pro Palestinian also deliberately covered their faces. Nothing good has ever come from covering your face.
‘There is a long history of Palestinians wearing the keffiyeh to cover their faces, according to Ghnaim, not just as a form of activism but also to protect them from tear gas or from identification during protests.‘ According to Vermont student Ashish , “It means that I stand in solidarity with all oppressed people, especially Palestinians,” he said of wearing the keffiyeh. “I understand that it means a lot of different things to a lot of people. But for me, it’s showing that I see them, I’m there for them.”
“I’m never taking it off.”
NPR
That may wash in some countries, but if you are prepared to make life h3ll for the local populace, day after day and night after night – then at least have the courage of your convictions, and show your face. Otherwise you might as well be terror1sts. Which is exactly what the IRA did. Not doing so is cowardly and insults those who witness it.
I agree the Israeli government and far-right zealots of Israel make it hell for the Palestinians-since 1948.
What’s on the cards for Zia? Labour is calling this “humiliating hokey-cokey”. Lib Dems a “game of ‘musical chairman’”.
I don’t know if I can express this well. And I’m sure I’ll get flak.
I think if I left my country to go to another, I would have respect for that country’s’ traditions, culture and ways of life. I wouldn’t go and insist I have every right to do my ‘thing’ and protest against. Or why leave my country? . There’s disrespect to insist and demand the welcoming country to bend over backwards to accept your insistence to be accepted if you will not assimilate. I wouldn’t have demanded my way. I would be more accepting to their culture….losing my track of thought. The astrology of this is, I’m a Libra, Aquarius moon.
Interesting piece. I wasn’t aware it was so widely banned in other parts of europe. I’m not keen on public displays of religion and the Burka to me is an extreme example of that.
I’m perhaps more against religion displays in the workplace or schools. I feel religion should be downgraded to hobby status. A personal thing. Apologies, no astrology here. That said, pluto moving through Aquarius could change all that.