Sadiq Khan, Mayor of London, is under attack from a variety of angles – accused of being under the control of “Islamists” by going soft on pro-Palestinian marchers; renaming the underground lines at a cost of £6.3 million – Suffragette, Windrush, Lioness, Mildmay, Weaver and Liberty lines – which is a ‘multicoloured nod to the capital’s diversity and some obscure elements of history’. And is now facing questions about spending £117,000-a-year on a ‘night tsar’ in charge of rejuvenating night culture in the city, who has been jetting around the world as London’s nightlife declined.
Khan, a former MP and lawyer, from a Pakistan immigrant family was born in London 8 October 1970 and is an independent-minded Sun Uranus in Libra with a ferociously determined Mars Pluto conjunction in Virgo and an equally determined Saturn in Taurus opposition Venus Neptune in Scorpio. He probably has an Earth Grand Trine of Mars Pluto trine Saturn trine his Capricorn Moon. His work ethic will be strong.
He’ll sag a touch through March with tr Neptune opposition his Pluto and be jolted and jangled by and jangled by tr Uranus conjunct his Saturn in April and opposition his Venus in May across the next Mayoral election, as well as his SA Pluto being opposition his Saturn – which could suggest a less than happy phase for him. Though tr Jupiter also in Taurus close to tr Uranus could save the day for him.
The chart for his first swearing in 7 May 2016 hints at considerable setbacks later this year into 2025 which may or may not be connected to the results of the forthcoming election.
Geroge Galloway is not exactly connected but he is standing in the Rochdale byelection waving the Palestine flag for all he is worth in the hope of rallying support from the Muslims who are a substantial chunk of the electorate. Born 16 August 1954 6am Dundee, he was a Labour MP ousted for his criticism of the Iraq War, who went independent, and has had an on off ‘colourful’ career in politics since, is pro-Corbyn and blames the Ukraine invasion on NATO. A flamboyant, ultra-determined, attention-grabbing Sun Pluto in Leo on his Ascendant is trine Mars in Sagittarius; and his lucky Jupiter Uranus in Cancer is in a can-be-fanatical square to Neptune.
He does not look overly hopeful in March into early April with a failure-strewn tr Neptune square his Mars, but that does not pick up until the election is over. Depending on the accuracy of his birth time he may have his SA MC nearing a conjunction to his Jupiter which will give him a boost if not now then in the next year or so.
In many ways Rochdale is emblematic of the total dysfunction of UK politics. The Labour and Green parties have ditched their candidates, the Conservative is on a long-planned family holiday, the Lib Dem remains, but pulled out of the most high-profile political event, a local BBC radio debate. ‘The most energetic campaigning last week came instead from the political fringe: George Galloway, serial byelection winner and founder of the Workers Party of Britain, and Simon Danczuk, the town’s former Labour MP who was suspended by the party for sexting a 17-year-old girl and is now standing for Reform UK.’
“We don’t deserve this,” said a voter. “This town does not deserve to be this short of anybody decent to vote for.”
Rochdale itself has an uncomfortable reputation having been Cyril Smith’s constituency when he was an MP for two decades, outed as a serial child sex abuser only after his death. More recently it was the focus of outrage after the failures of the police to protect teenage victims of grooming gangs emerged.
The town which has an ancient history was incorporated in 1856 and given a coat of arms on 20 February 1857 – which gives it Uranus in last decan Taurus so now on its Second Uranus Return.
It must sit on some very odd ley lines
ADD ON: Lee Anderson who accused Sadiq Khan of being under the sway of “Islamists” was described by the Daily Mail as “not one of life’s diplomats. A brash ex-Nottinghamshire miner, the Tory MP for Ashfield wades into sensitive debates with all the subtlety of a flying mallet.” However clumsy his words there appears to be a good deal of support for what he was trying to express – that pro-Palestinian demonstrators are spreading hate and division freely in demonstrations.
Born January 1967 he is a Sun Mercury in Capricorn in an argumentative square to Mars; with Uranus Pluto in Virgo trine Virgo and opposition Saturn in Pisces. Mouthy and excitable.
He was never going to get on with Sadiq Khan no matter what the point at issue since SK’s Sun Uranus clashes with LA’s Mars. And SK’s Mars Pluto is conjunct LA’s Uranus Pluto and opposition his Saturn. Their relationship chart has a power-struggling (for the upper hand) Jupiter Pluto conjunction tied into a distrustful yod and an explosive Mars Uranus conjunction plus an evasive Sun Neptune. Not a happy twosome.
I am as critical as any about successive Israeli government policies of ill-treatment of Palestinians which have stoked up trouble. That does not mean I appreciate the anti-Semitic hatred that is displayed by a thuggish element of the pro-Palestinian demonstrators. Nor am I anything but condemnatory about fundamentalist religious efforts to impose Sharia law, tramp over women’s and gay rights or facilitate the abuse of children. The UK has always been appallingly lax about saying THIS WILL NOT DO. They pussy foot around trying not to upset the sensibilities of those with different values and in the end devalue the culture of the country. The German newspaper Bild’s list of suggestions for immigrants see 3rd December 2023 post was not far off the mark.
The French (who admittedly are racist) are also admirably firm about upholding the secular values of their country. They recently tossed an immigrant who had been resident for some decades back to his birth country because he ranted against the values of France. And it did not go through expensive years of appeal courts. Decision and off he went.
So they chose George Galloway in Rochdale. Curious to see what emerges – and that Galloway’s Sun and Pluto in Leo embrace UK 1801’s Saturn in Leo, 23 degrees. That’s in the house of groups, and as Marjorie has said previously, the legislature. Mars opposes in March, legal Jupiter squares in April, Uranus exactly squares by May. Bumpy?
The Tory candidate in Rochdale, Paul Ellison, is a nice chap; a landscape gardener, he took part in the Royal Horticultural Society’s “In Bloom” project to plant flowers all over Rochdale and won “Rochdale Man of the Year”.
Unfortunately, he didn’t anticipate this by-election and booked a family holiday in Feb to leave him free for the general election later in the year. Not rich enough to just cancel the holiday and lose the money, so they went.
So the only normal candidate in this by-election is on holiday. Rochdale is cursed.
This is not an astrological comment but a personal one about Sadiq Khan. He was my MP for many years in south west London and someone I often contacted on behalf of less fortunate members of the community.
I do not recognise the picture being painted of him here. He was very even-handed and approachable by all ethnic and religious groups in the community -as befits a sun libra.
I am not aware of anybody being prosecuted for supplying the boys that Cyril Smith or his cronies preyed upon. Do you know anything about that Marjorie?
I would suspect absolutely nothing at all was done as per usual.
“We don’t deserve this,” said a voter. “This town does not deserve to be this short of anybody decent to vote for.”
However, in a democracy, supposedly, “The government you elect is the government you deserve.”
Various versions of the latter quote (attributed to Thomas Jefferson) have been used as a cudgel against American voters for generations, castigating us for electing fools (e.g., Trump) to high office, which I always thought was victim-blaming. However, given the despicable history of coverup and collectively turning a blind eye to abuse–first with Cyril Smith and then with the grooming gangs infamy–one might be forgiven for believing that, yes, perhaps Rochdale DOES deserve awful candidates.
On the other hand, are any of us, on either side of the Atlantic, living in a true democracy? How many voters in Rochdale knew, or suspected, what was going on, and how many more simply didn’t have a clue?
More recently, if the political and informational system hadn’t been distorted (and subjected to massive disinformation), Trump would never have been elected (anyway, he lost the popular vote), and perhaps Brexit and other disruptions might not have happened.
I think we all need grace when it comes to politics.
What I tend to forget being an inveterate reader of a wide variety of media outlets is that most people don’t. So they are less well informed.
But having said that I nearly fell out over Boris Johnson with people who would not believe the litany of his bad behaviour from the past which had been common knowledge to everyone on the inside track for years. Changing people’s minds when they get dug in is very difficult. Many people knew how appalling Trump was from decades back but the fan club just close their ears.
On the abuse thing most people resolutely did not want to know, blamed the victims etc. It made their lives more comfortable not to face unpleasant facts. When I scratch the surface I find I have a great deal of contempt for a goodly chunk of humanity.
Pluto transiting Aquarius in our fourth house, is unleashing home furies. It is interesting reading comments on here and in papers ,about how many of us – in Britain – have had enough. It has been a hard eight years since Brexit. We are watching the infighting for Britain’s soul in our Political parties. Also mirroring in Northern Ireland. The discussions about high immigration and now with Pluto, coming up to oppose Jupiter, not only the economy, but religion and its followers. The divides are coming to the surface, the haves and the haves not, the division of ethnical living and the expectations put on those individual ethnic tribes to conform. It is going to be a momentous time for the next few years. Astrology is showing us that Pluto is tentatively moving towards a conversation that many politicians do not wish to have.
Connections to the UK 1801 Nodes, 14 Aries/Libra are interesting – perhaps especially because the UK chart is due a Nodal Return this Spring. In May, the tr Nodes will also be conjunct their ruling Mars in Aries. Does this suggest a deeper look at the UK’s path ahead in some way? Does it have military or sporting themes? Angry demonstrations? Arguments with allies and associates? The tr Nodes are almost there for the Rochdale by-election, 15 Aries, with Jupiter conjunct UK Mars in Taurus. Much energy. Mars in Aquarius is just passed the square to UK Mars for the by-election too. Possibly too much Mars for anything resembling a peaceful time.
Sadiq Khan’s Sun, 14 Libra, sits on the UK South Node. His natal S Node aligns with UK Pluto in Pisces, in the UK Yod. These South Node links suggest some kind of ‘karma’ to me, yet don’t take things forward.
George Galloway’s natal Nodes, 14 Capricorn/Cancer are square UK Nodes.
Wryly amused, if that’s the word, to see that former PM Margaret Thatcher’s Jupiter/Pluto opposition was 14 Capricorn/Cancer. Like Sadiq Khan, she was a Libran Sun, with Mercury in Libra. Her Mars in Libra is conjunct Khan’s Uranus in Libra – both squaring onto the UK Capricorn Sun for a divisive “Marmite” effect? Be interesting to see what the setbacks Marjorie mentions for Sadiq Khan turn out to be.
To look on the bright side, in a poll in Rochdale last week, all the groups convened including the Muslim group, wanted the election to be about local, not world affairs. Perhaps a glimpse of Pluto Aquarius breaking into Pluto Capricorn’s dominion? We can but hope.
Thanks Zita! Of course most people want someone to represent them locally. An MP is supposed to work for their constituents, something some appear to have almost forgotten.
There are a few local independant candidates, I would go for one of those if I were them
James Cleverley, dob 4 September 1969, has made several controversial comments, however, he has recently expressed that “the west must help people thrive in their own countries to tackle migrant crisis”, which I think is spot on. He has Sun in Virgo, Mercury and Jupiter in Libra perhaps helping to give a balanced point of view, which Galloway and Khan seem to lack.
As in Indian, who has visited London, I absolutely cannot understand how this man who is clearly a Muslim first, gets elected repeatedly. He has Mars and Mercury conjunct Pluto secretive, manipulating and ruthless. There is Venus with Neptune opposite Saturn making him more sentimental towards his religion and his people and cold towards the plight of women in general. His Saturn also sits on Rishi Sunak’s Sun. The grooming gangs are a strategy to destroy an entire community, Indians have suffered at the hands of the Muslims enough to know it’s not a coincidence. Any country deserves better and London deserves much better than Khans and their like.
A large chunk of the London electorate is Muslim.
Well if they are left to be the only strong voice then it will be hard to get Khan out because the Muslims always band together and only vote, support based on religion. I’m sure there are English and other denominations who could unite and vote for a better candidate.
Devi, You really cannot lump all Muslims together and given that Khan has named the new underground lines after Lionesses etc and the like he is hardly a fundamentalist.
It’s good you are keeping an open mind, hope you are right and your capital is in safe hands.
I find your comments to be racist and unacceptable. Everyone has a right to follow their chosen faith. Every faith also has people committing evil deeds in the name of their faith – thankfully a minority, but it is just as true of all faiths.
I am growing ever more uncomfortable about how the populist right – in the UK, US, and yes in India – are normalising racism and making it acceptable – rather than behaving like responsible leaders and encouraging respect for all.
Lisa, I share your discomfort at the above comment. India under the right wing ruling party is a democracy only on paper. I’ll give you one example which demonstrates the current state of governance in India. The last census in India was carried out in 2011. Since then the Modi govt has postponed it to after 2024 GE (only god knows when that would happen). India has become a data black hole. Modi govt is scared of true data and like any authoritarian govt they block it.
Now, how do they distract people from asking relevant questions? By fabricating an enemy that majority would love to hate and take out their anger and frustration upon, by spreading the narrative that its “those” people who are the biggest threat! Unfortunately, many people have fallen for it.
Aren’t the grooming gangs being selective in targeting British children to exploit and destroy? Do the Pakistani men go after Muslim schoolgirls to gangrape? No. So not only are they racist, they have the backing of their religion to groom rape and abuse British girls with an agenda. If you are unable to fathom that then best of luck to you.
Read my post again.
As a descendant of refugees who had to leave their homeland due to the demand of the Muslims who were disinclined to stay with Hindus in post partition India I find your comment about my comment being racist puzzling to say the least. As if examples of Iran Lebanon Pakistan Bangladesh etc are not enough for you to see the truth. Keep turning a blind eye and a deaf ear to facts.
Devi, I do sympathise with where you are coming from given your experiences. And I share your anxiety about bringing into the UK those from a totally different culture , some of whom appear unwilling to assimilate. But not all Muslims are alike and while I condemn heartily the abuse of white girls and the misogynistic attitudes that go along with some backward cultures, it needs to be called out individually and not as a blanket condemnation.
Thank you Marjorie! I fondly remember your columns in the evening newspaper I read that sparked a fascination with astrology. I understand it’s unfair to judge people of a particular race or religion it’s just that it is better to be safe than sorry. Appreciate your perspective, thanks for all the insights you share on diverse issues through the astrologer’s lens.
Thanks Marjorie – what a mess. I was thinking about voters here in the UK, and wondered about the Representation of the People Act, 1928. This, finally, meant that all citizens – men and women over 21 – were able to vote. Previously, votes for women were only for those over 30, who were householders or wives of householders. Ordinary working men without property had also waited a very long time to be able to vote, I think it was 1918 when they were ‘given’ the right.
So it’s not quite a century since ‘ordinary’ citizens were able to vote en masse. 2nd July, 1928, when the Act received Royal Assent, has Neptune in Leo – it dips into Virgo in September. The Sun, Mercury, and Venus in Cancer oppose UK Sun Capricorn – seems like an appropriate symbol, with changeable Uranus in Aries approaching the square to UK Sun. Pluto in Cancer is three degrees off the UK Cancer Moon – representing the people.
The first election after this Act was 30 May 1929, popularly known as the “Flapper Election” (!), millions more votes resulted in a hung parliament. By this time, tr Uranus in Aries had closed the square with the conventional Capricorn UK Sun, and was energised by Mars in Leo and Sun in Gemini. A grand trine in fire has Venus, Saturn, and Neptune creating something new.
Of interest, too, is Jupiter 26 Taurus, and Nodes 21 Taurus – sensitive degrees this Spring and Summer.
Good lord… sounds as bad as politicians in the US
Maybe they should not vote in Rochdale. Teach the main parties a lesson