UK General Election Predictions

DO THE SPRING ECLIPSES POINT TO A LABOUR VICTORY?

As voters go to the polls today, I thought it was a good idea to have a look at the astrology around what promises to be one of the most exciting general elections for some time, to see what it might tell us about possible outcomes. Given the nature of  the recent Spring eclipses , together with yesterday’s Sun-Pluto trine, it may well be that the 2015 UK General Election, set for 7 May 2015, could hold a few surprises in store.

As I mentioned in my April 2015 Monthly Astro-Insights column, the solar eclipse which took place on the 20^th of March, seemed to hint at a possible reprise of what happened in May 1997.

Why do I say this?

First of all, the last time we experienced this set of eclipses was in Spring 1997 on the 9^th of March 1997, when there was a solar eclipse at 19 degrees, followed by a lunar eclipse at 4 degrees Libra on the 4^th of April 1997. Given the links with this set of eclipses to Spring 1997, one can’t help but wonder if there are going to be a few surprises at this particular election.

In addition, the March 2015 solar eclipse forms part of the 17 South Saros family – the same eclipse family active during 1997 when Tony Blair led Labour to a landslide victory, winning 43% of the vote – the biggest majority held by any UK government since 1935.[i] What’s more, this came after spending 18 years out of power, or ‘in the political wilderness,’ as some journalists have put it – the same amount of time as a Saros Cycle.

In astrological terms, there are shorter and longer cycles associated with eclipses. In immediate terms, solar eclipses usually set the tone for what is likely to happen over the course of the six months that follow them, while lunar eclipses, which occur at Full Moon, often signify the opposite – the ending/peak/culmination of a half-year period. However, over the longer term, the same eclipse does not repeat itself for 18 years. This is because of the orbital cycles of the Moon. However, eclipses that occur one Saros cycle apart always take place at the same nodal position, and therefore share similar geometries, that is, they occur at nearly the same distance from Earth and at the same time of year[ii].

In this case, we have two eclipses EXACTLY one Saros cycle part and in the same signs, so we are dealing with not just the more immediate future, but one that has strong links to the past.

From a symbolic point of view, I think it is interesting that in terms of the March 2015 solar eclipse, not only did it take place in the final degrees of Pisces, suggesting the end of a metacycle, but it also happened to occur on the same day as the Spring Equinox, thus echoing the themes which have been so prevalent since the Arab Spring, so could this mean we are in for a bit of a surprise in 2015?

Let’s have a look at these soli-lunar events in relation to the birth charts of some of the key players in this election, to see if we can get a sneak peak at the possible outcome.

LUNAR ECLIPSE – Who or What is on the Way Out?

if we look at the lunar eclipse in Libra, which is generally symbolic of endings/culmination points/what is leaving us; it seems to have spooky connections to David Cameron, leader of the Tory Party and current Prime Minister.

First of all, the Full Moon was very close in orb to a conjunction with Cameron’s natal Sun in Libra, which doesn’t bode well for his position as leader of Tories, if we consider that the Libran Moon is being eclipsed by the Sun in Aries. It may be somewhat ominous that Nigel Farage, leader of the UK Independence Party, associated with anti-European and far right sentiments, happens to be a Sun Aries at a degree very close to that of the Sun at the time of the lunar eclipse.

In fact, if we transpose Cameron and Farage’s natal charts onto that of the 2015 Lunar Eclipse chart, we see that both politicians’ Suns are within 1 degree of the eclipse Sun & Moon respectively, so very close in terms of orb. Furthermore, Cameron’s Sun happens to be conjunct the IC of the eclipse chart. In symbolic terms, this puts Cameron on the nadir – the darkest part of the chart – not great for the light-loving Sun. This could suggest that his personal power and influence are on the decline.

If we look at Nigel Farage’s chart in relation to the Lunar Eclipse, we notice that both the Aries Sun, which is conjunct Uranus, is sitting smack bang on top of his natal Sun. What’s more, transiting Jupiter in Leo happens to be trining his natal Sun. I hate to say it, but this looks like a man who stands to shake things up on the political landscape and it seems to me that he has a lot of support from powerful people (Jupiter in Leo) to boot. Richard Desmond’s donation to UKIP seems to be a strong indicator that this could well be so. This is a man not to be laughed off for his rather chaotic and unsophisticated modus operandi. As astrologer Debbie Frank says, Nigel is definitely a blurter[iii], but perhaps for some, he is not afraid to give voice to what they secretly think but don’t have the courage to say out loud…

At any rate, the Tories would do well to take this as a warning to do more to counter the threat potentially posed by UKIP who, although not taken terribly seriously, could split the vote sufficiently for Labour to get a majority. As they say, when it comes to all things British, never underestimate the underdog…

Of course, this weak position for Cameron may also simply mean that his power within the Tory party itself is, like the eclipsed Moon, on the wane? As if to confirm this as a strong possibility, it is worth noting that the Moon is the natural ruler of his 10^th house, while the Sun rules his 11^th house of friends and party memberships. The fact that these areas are highlighted by the March solar eclipse from the position of the 7^th house (other people) does suggest that his position as Tory party leader may be in jeopardy – if not now, then within the next six months.

I do think that many people wrote him off after he admitted that he planned to stand down after two terms in office – something that many people construed as showing weakness. On this score, it may be significant that the Sabian symbol for the degree of the Libra lunar eclipse Moon is IN THE HEAT OF THE NOON, A MAN TAKES A SIESTA. According to Lynda Hill, this Sabian Symbol is all about the need to take a break or call time on something – perhaps Cameron is suffering from burnout or needs time to regroup post-election?

What about Nick Clegg?

If we look at Clegg’s chart in relation to the lunar eclipse, it is perhaps telling that the eclipsed Moon is conjunct Nick’s natal Mars in the 10^th house, and in the sign of his Midheaven, which doesn’t bode well for his political career – it looks as though it, like the Moon, his public position may be eclipsed by someone with a brighter star, such as his compatriot, David Cameron. In addition, transiting Saturn is making a conjunction to his natal Moon in the 12^th house, which hints at private disappointments/demoralisation, no doubt at the predicted erosion of the Liberal Democrat’s position – if polls are anything to go by, their share of the vote since 2010 has gone from 23% in 2010 to a predicted 8% of the vote this time around. Transiting Pluto sitting on Clegg’s Sun does look rather ominous…more on that later…

SOLAR ECLIPSE – A Sign of Things to Come?

Whilst the lunar eclipse shows us what is leaving us/ending, the solar eclipse, coming as it does at the time of the New Moon, is a good indicator of what is to come in terms of trends for the next six months.

David Cameron

Again, this doesn’t look so good for David Cameron. If we look at the March 2015 solar eclipse chart transposed onto David Cameron’s natal chart, we see the Sun and Moon in Pisces are conjunct his 7^th house cusp – both allies and enemies are represented by the Descendent, so which of these prospects are we looking at here? Given that both are in his 6^th house of work/health, and that they square his Midheaven (positions of public office), it does look as though he may lose his job as Prime Minister.

Nigel Farage

Interestingly, in this chart, the Sun and Moon are located in Nigel’s 7th house – could this hint at a political partnership of some kind (perhaps with the Tories?) or does it put suggest some kind of opposition to his ideas and values? The one thing I will say about this chart is that the Eclipsed Sun makes a square to Nigel’s Moon, ruler of his 11th house of groups and position in society, which could mean that he is not really someone who is likely to be a) popular with the vast majority of the public; and b) may not be cut out for life as an MP – if he is elected to parliament, he may become disaffected with life within the political establishment, especially if he feels it interferes with his private life too much or forces him to have to conform to rules and regulations – with Uranus and Pluto rising, he is an non-conformist at heart and thrives as an outsider, criticising from the sidelines, rather than being centre-stage where he is subject to intense personal scrutiny and accountable to his constituency. Still, he may act as a catalyst – rather like Uranus, he may have the effect of setting off a bomb on the UK political scene before exiting stage left, leaving the other parties to deal with the fallout.

Boris Johnson

And then, there is also the ever-looming threat of Boris Johnson, current Mayor of London, who has decided to seek re-election as an MP this May, and who many insiders says is after the ‘top job,’ as it were. According to media reports,

The London mayor, who is seeking a return to parliament as an MP on May 7, is widely seen as a likely successor to David Cameron. The prime minister even took the unusual step of naming Boris as a potential future leader.[iv]

If we transpose Johnson’s natal horoscope onto the solar eclipse chart, one can’t help but notice that Boris’ natal Sun-Venus conjunction at 28 degrees Gemini is not only square to the Pisces Sun & Moon in the solar eclipse chart but, crucially, both are conjunct the Gemini AS of the eclipse chart. This implies that his star is literally, ‘on the rise’! See below.

Further inspection of this bi-wheel reveals that Uranus, ruler of Boris’ natal Midheaven, is opposite Neptune in the 10^th house of the eclipse chart, which in turn, feeds into Boris’ natal grand trine (involving his Sun, Moon & Saturn) via a Saturn-Neptune conjunction at 5-6 degrees of Pisces. Given the positions of his natal Saturn (10^th), Sun (1^st) and Moon (5^th) in the houses of the eclipse chart, it does look as though he could be in for a career ‘lucky break’ within the next 6 months – perhaps one that might come about as a result of forces unleashed by the election? Could he turn out to be someone who benefits from Cameron’s misfortunes? Let’s see what happens…

Ed Miliband

Let’s turn now to Ed Miliband, leader of the opposition party and main political opponent of David Cameron for the position of UK Prime Minister. 

In terms of the solar eclipse, we have the Sun and Moon in Pisces in Ed’s twelfth house of psychology, secrets and hidden enemies, perhaps suggesting that he is a bit of a dark horse. With his plodding Taurus Ascendant and serious Saturn rising, I think that Ed is often underestimated. The Sun and Moon are also conjunct Chiron – and certainly, during this election, he has really had to stand up and defend himself in public, especially with regards to the general sentiment that he comes across as a weak leader (Chiron) and is not a patch on his brother, David, who he notoriously stabbed in the back during the 2010 Labour leadership contest – a very stealthy, 12th house move that may have made people feel that, ultimately, he isn’t trustworthy! With his natal Sun in Capricorn in the 9th house, Ed is definitely a conviction politician and with the eclipse trining idealistic Neptune in the 7th house of his chart, it is certainly possible that he will win votes based on his stance on issues, rather than his sparkling and charismatic personality.

Of course, the one remarkable thing about this chart is Pluto on the Midheaven. Pluto is the planet par excellence of reinvention and transformation – and the image make-over we have seen him undergo during his public and TV appearances in this election has been dramatic and definitely bears the hallmark of Pluto at work. However, Pluto is also very much associated with irrefutable endings, especially when you consider that it rules death – so is Pluto hinting here at a screeching halt to Ed’s ambitions to be Prime Minister? Here it may be worth mentioning that is his chart is plotted onto that of the lunar eclipse, his Sun falls firmly on the Descendant, suggesting that as a representative of the Labour Party, his role will be to continue in the position of political opposition to the presiding government.

Given Pluto’s key role, it is also interesting to me that, the day before the election, on May the 6^th, we had a Sun-Pluto trine in earth signs – a transit that often represents a shift in the balance of power. Could this be indicative of a Labour victory? Or does it point to a more generalised seismic shift in British politics, perhaps as a result of the influence of UKIP? Let’s see what happens. 

Nick Clegg

For the leader of the Liberal Democrats, the solar eclipse Sun and Moon both happen to be conjunct to Nick Clegg’s Saturn-Chiron conjunction in his 3^rd house, which suggests that whatever happens in terms of this election, he is likely to come away having learnt some major lessons from the whole coalition experience. Given the connection between the eclipse and his natal Sun in the 2nd house, he may also take things quite personally and question his own abilities if things don’t go to plan. Furthermore, his natal Sun is playing right into the Pluto-Uranus square, which has been very active over the last few years, becoming very much associated with youth disaffection/alienation from the establishment, as well as the growing disparities between rich and poor we have witnessed with growing alarm over the last decade or so. This does suggest that Nick’s main task, going forward, if he remains as leader of the party, will be to revisit Lib Dem party values and re-kindle trust in his party from young voters, many of whom felt betrayed by his inability to affect the coalition government’s decision to introduce university tuition fees. Given Pluto’s position on Clegg’s Sun and it’s rulership of the 11^th house, I think that his party may well have to start again from the ground up and get to basics, including what values they stand for going forward. Clearly some difficult lessons will need to be learned. Of course, this Pluto, which rules Clegg’s 11th house of group memberships, also suggests that his leadership of the Lib Dems may be drawing to an end.

It’s not all bad news for Nick, though: The eclipse Sun and Moon also form a minor grand trine with Clegg’s natal Jupiter in Leo, which also happens to be his chart ruler, and his natal Moon in Sagittarius, ruler of his 8^th house, which does hint at a possible coalition deal or joint venture  – will he decide to join forces with another minority party that more closely share his party’s values than, say, the Conservatives? Of course, with the eclipse affecting so many planets in the personal areas of his chart, he may well decide to seek a less public role, perhaps in the private sector or as a lobbyist, where he can pursue his goals/ideals and exert a more meaningful influence without feeling compromised or having to give way in terms of his position because of majority rule.  Much depends on whether or not he manages to keep his seat. Let’s see what happens.

Overall Trends – Sun-Pluto trine

Looking at the planetary transits leading up to this election, it certainly looks as though major power shifts, structural reforms and changes of leadership are all possible post May 7, especially given yesterday’s Sun-Pluto trine.

Could we be in for a change of government?

According to pollster, Ben Page, there seems to be a statistically significant (95% accuracy) link between the colour of the previous season’s FA Cup Final winning team’s strip and the political party most likely to triumph at the polls.[v] Last year, it was Arsenal, which has a red strip – is this an indicator of a Labour victory? Of course, much remains difficult to predict – this election really does come down to what the electorate decide on the day, so let’s see what happens.

As a final word, it may be worth noting that both eclipses make contact with the Part of the Honourable Acquaintance. With public trust and confidence in politicians at an all-time low, will this election help to make them more honest? Let’s hope so!

I think people are tired of campaigning by numbers and want to see a return of conviction politics. On this score, a possible hint that things may be heading in this direction comes from the Sabian Symbol for the degree of the Sun (29 degrees Pisces) in the solar eclipse chart, which is ‘the great stone face.’ According to James Burgess, this is symbolic of the desire to realise internal ideals and live a more authentic life.

Perhaps politics may well be rejuvenated after all as a result of this election?! In a cynical world where very little ever seems to change, that certainly seems like a far-off dream, but is a possibility that I for one would certainly not be unhappy to see happen.

REFERENCES

[i] BBC, 1997: Labour landslide ends Tory rule,  http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/vote_2005/basics/4393323.stm

[ii] You can get a recap of what a Saros cycle is here: http://eclipse.gsfc.nasa.gov/SEsaros/SEsaros.html

[iii] BBC, Astrologer’s election prediction for political leaders, http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-27506219

[iv] Huffington Post, http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2015/04/22/watch-kay-burley-finally-get-boris-to-admit-it-would-be-wonderful-to-be-tory-leader_n_7117722.html

[v] IPSOS Mori, Roger Mortimore, The Sweet FA Rule, p. 51 at https://www.ipsos-mori.com/DownloadPublication/1521_Ipsos_MORI_Almanac_2012.pdf

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