UK 2017 Election – An Astrological Sneak Peak

The UK was taken by surprise when, on 18 April, Theresa May announced that she would be calling for a snap general election on 8 June 2017 – just two years from the last one – and a year after the Brexit referendum.

From an astrological point of view, the timing was pretty fitting, coming as it did after the Easter weekend during which the Sun moved from a conjunction with Uranus in Aries (snap decision/change of direction = Uranus by leader = the Sun) to a trine with Saturn (firm political decisions/resolutions).

Now, on the eve of said general election, and quite a few twists and turns later, many people are beginning to wonder what the end result will be. Naturally, the questions on many people’s minds are likely to be something like:

“What can we expect , given that the last two elections didn’t exactly match up with opinion polls or expectations?”

“Will the Tories win by a landslide? Or will Labour make a major comeback?

And, of course, will this be the election that will help reverse Brexit and put the Lib Dems back on the political map?”

It is no small exaggeration to say that the 2017 UK General Election is probably one of the most crucial elections the UK will hold in a very long time. What happens on 8 June 2017 stands to have a major impact on its future direction – and potentially also it’s very existence!

Naturally, as an astrologer, I couldn’t help myself from ‘having a punt’ at what the potential outcome might be. Having spent the last two elections ‘getting my eye in,’ hopefully this time I will be in a better position to avoid the common assumptions and pitfalls, and get things right first time round…

Here goes!…

2017 Election Chart

It is interesting for a number of reasons:

Firstly, we notice an opposition between Mercury, ruler of both the Ascendant and the Midheaven, and the Moon in Sagittarius. This is significant. The Moon usually symbolises the electorate/ or the popular vote, while Mercury in the 10th house represents the ruling party or government of the day – in this case, the Conservative Party. If nothing else, it hints that votes/rs may feel pulled in two different directions, between their hearts and their heads, which could make for an interesting outcome. Which will win over? Given that the Moon is in the 4th house, which some astrologers associate with the political opposition, it suggests that the ruling party (the Tories) is out of step with public sentiment (Moon), but that the opposition party (Labour) is. Could this mean either a split vote/hung parliament, as exit polls now suggest? Possibly. It certainly looks as though public support has swung back towards parties OTHER than the ruling party. Interesting…
In this map, the Moon also happens to rule the 11th house, which Charles Carter associates with the House of Commons. So, does this mean that Labour will gain a greater majority this time around? It is worth noting here that although the Moon is in ebullient and optimistic Sagittarius (Labour claims it is offering voters a message of hope, and is all about the many, not the few), it is also in detriment. This suggests that any initial hopes for an outright Labour win may turn out to be false hope, or simply that while voters may initially be buoyed up by a Labour win, but that their positive expectations may not necessarily be that realistic.
The Moon is also opposite the Part of Treachery which of course means that this Arabic Part must be very close to the Midheaven, suggesting that the ruling party may, in some way, either be trying to pull a fast one on the country or that, the party soon turn on its leader. Hmmm…Dos this mean a smaller than hoped-for majority for the Tories? Perhaps. Whatever transpires, expect a lot of backstabbing within the party known for its ruthlessness and ability to survive, in spite of individual failures.
You could also argue that this aspect possibly signifies the election putting the kaibosh on what Nick Clegg has called ‘an ideological coup’ engineered by a ‘curious cabal of old men’, including a number of hardline Tories hell bent on an agenda of deregulation and a hard Brexit. So will this now be stopped in its tracks? Well, I can’t help but think that such a sinister and secretive type of movement could only be ruled by one planet – Pluto in Capricorn, which in this chart, is Lord of the 3rd House of ideology, communication and the media – how fitting! In my mind, there seems to be quite a big disconnect between how the election is being portrayed in the mainstream media and how many people feel. So is this an example of the ‘cabal’s’ attempts to influence people’s voting choices, but ignoring their real concerns because of an elitist agenda? Perhaps.
Let’s also not forget that there have been two terror attacks in the build-up to this election. With this in mind, it is probably fair to say that, overall, Pluto could well represent various attempts by outside parties to control the outcome of this election, whether this be through false news and propaganda, in much the same way as Russia is alleged to have done in the 2016 US Presidential Elections, biased media coverage or through more extreme means such as terror attacks. It has certainly pushed homeland security up the agenda, which may well cause voters to swing to the right. We mustn’t forget that Pluto is, after all, situated in the 4th house of the electorate…
Now Pluto is set to trine the AS, then sextile Neptune and finally square up to Jupiter. Although positive, I think that the first two aspects are all about trying to reintroduce fear, distrust and a nebulous sense of worry about porous borders and the unknown ‘other’ represented by immigrants and refugees which pro-Brexit campaigners so successfully stirred up into a frenzy last June. The latter aspect could well end up being significant because it seems to suggest that a major clash of ideologies and social values, possibly between the have’s and the have-nots, may well lie ahead for the British people. This is a pretty major cardinal aspect, so could well indicate a struggle that could end up defining Britain for some time to come…More on this later.
Tensions or in-fighting within government does look like a distinct possibility, if you consider the presence of Mars in the 10th house. At the very least, Mars here suggests vigorous debate and the need for strong leadership. In the election chart, Mars rules the 8th house, which rules tax regulation, economic ties with foreign countries (hello, Brexit) and death duties, so possibly this could be come an area of contention within the Tory party, or indeed, the next government, which could end up being made up of more than one party. After all, Gemini is a dual sign! So is this the sign of a party split? Or a coalition government, similar to the one we had pre-2015?
Mars is not all bad news though – the planet of decisive action (as well as the military) – is about to make a positive aspect to Venus in the 8th house. As well as ruling the 9th house of religion, education and foreign relations, she also happens to be the Lady of the 2nd house of the economy. Venus is in Taurus, a sign that she naturally rules, so is very strong in this chart. This suggests bold and decisive action in relation to both domestic monetary policy and foreign trade deals that stand to benefit Britain’s economy.
Here, we also cannot ignore Venus’ proximity to Uranus, which in the Brexit Referendum chart, became a major signifier of a surprise economic split with Europe. In the 2015 general election, it also become synonymous with an unexpected, even downright shocking outcome. Could there be another surprise in store in terms of the 2017 election results? Although Venus and Uranus are separating from a conjunction, thy are in different signs which, in this instance, seems to be a good thing. Aries is very rash and headstrong, wanting to do its own thing and be independent at all costs. But Venus in Taurus is much more patient, pragmatic and cautious, making her a steadying influence on Uranus. She seems to be calmly proposing a ‘look before you leap’ mentality that may well mean less of a rush to leave the EU Single Market if it is not in the UK’s best interest to do so. Taurus is very much associated with both banking and agriculture – the two industries that stand to be affected the most by Brexit. So could this election then, potentially bring about a much softer Brexit, if not a complete rethink, based on economic arguments?
It may be portentious that Uranus happens to be located in the 28th degree of Aries. The Sabian Symbol for this is: ‘A large disappointed audience.’ Does this represent the 52% of people who voted for Brexit? We shall have to wait and see…Uranus does rule the 6th house, which is associated both with public healthcare and workplace conditions, as well as parties that campaign for worker’s rights, such as the Labour Party. So perhaps Labour won’t do as well as everybody thinks they will?
On a more positive note, after opposing Mercury in the early hours of the morning, the Moon is due to sextile Jupiter. Now Jupiter is interesting for a number of reasons. Not only is it positioned in the 1st house of the chart, making it prominent astrologically, but it is also about to station. In fact, Jupiter turns direct in Libra on Friday afternoon, just before Venus sextiles Mars. If we consider that Jupiter rules the 4th house of the common people, as well as land, property and opposition party/ies, then it could well mean a reversal of fortune for some of the smaller parties. Could we also include in this Lib Dems and the SNP? Whatever the outcome, optimistic Jupiter in the 1st house certainly seems to hint at a much more optimistic, tolerant and buoyant national mood than the fear-based paranoia that seemed to run rampant in the run-up to, and aftermath of the 2016 Brexit Referendum.
However, we cannot ignore the impending Jupiter-Pluto square that is looming. Although this is some way off (it perfects in August), it does still cast a dark shadow over proceedings. Could this be the sticky issue of Brexit and Scottish independence which some see as leading to the potential break-up of the United Kingdom? Clearly, not everything will be resolved by this election and it may take quite a bit more discussion and debate within government before this matter can finally be laid to rest.
UK polls have, in recent years, always had a surprise aspect to them – an element of the unexpected – and I think this election will be no exception. Usually this is delivered wither via Pluto or Uranus. The former planet tends to make people secretive about who they really voted for (making exit polls wrong) while the latter brings unpredictability or chaos that affects results. In this chart, we have a Grand Trine involving Uranus, Saturn and the North Node in play. Now, Uranus rules the 6th house of workers, health and working conditions, Saturn rules the 5th house of children, holidays and young people; and the North Node is in Leo in the 12th house. This suggests to me that young voters and working people may well surprise pundits, both in terms of turnout and who they choose to vote for. Uranus also rules technology, and I think that a lot of election campaigning with young people has gone on below the radar – online via emails and social media – which would explain the secretive 12th house position of the node. Saturn in the 4th could also be older voters thinking of their children and after the Brexit vote, there was a lot of talk of how Brexit would limit the opportunities for the younger generation. To me, it looks as though they could be the decisive factor in this election, and their main concerns are Brexit, housing and employment opportunities.Again, I think that this aspect bodes well for a more progressive attitude winning out over more conservative, right wing views which could be good news for the Lib Dems, the SNP and Labour (although perhaps their views on Brexit here may put them at a slight disadvantage). My bet is on the Lib Dems regaining many of their pre-2015 seats, thanks to their loud and proud pro-European stance, Labour’s rather lacklustre opposition to Tory Brexit proposals in Parliament and their online campaigns targetting young people. The grand trine is also personally significant in Tim Farron’s chart – see below for further details.I also find it rather telling that in the run-up to the 2017 snap election, young people have registered to vote in historically high numbers.According to website Quartz:

“…since mid-April, when prime minister Theresa May announced a snap election for June 8, voters aged 18-25 have registered to vote at historically high rates.

Over a million young people have registered to vote over the past month or so—the most of any age group. Over the past five weeks, more under-25s have registered to vote than at the same period in the run-up to the Brexit referendum last year and the general election in 2015″.

Why?

“For many young people in the UK, the Brexit vote triggered a wave of grief. Though the country as a whole narrowly voted to leave the EU, around two-thirds of 18-to-24-year-olds wanted to remain. The shock of that result may have inspired more young people to vote in the upcoming general election, in which Brexit policy is the biggest issue by far.”

So, if it was older people who swung the 2015 and Brexit elections, I think that it is going to be young people who have the most effect on the outcome of this election. Stay tuned..!

Key Players

Now, to make any sort of definite predictions about parties and people, we need to turn to the individual charts of some of the key players in this political drama.

THERESA MAY

This chart has been rectified based on my own observations of Theresa May over the last few months. Like some other astrologers, I also think she has Scorpio rising but also shows evidence of the private idealism, kindness and Christian-inspired notion of service that Neptune rising in the 12th would bring.

Note the nodes – the north node in Leo sitting on her natal Pluto in the 10th house of career and public office, which together with the transiting Aquarius south node, is forming a T-square to her north node-Saturn conjunction in the 1st. That’s quite a combination! Astrologically, this looks like a major personal crossroads for Britain’s second female prime minister…

Notice too, the position of the Venus-Uranus conjunction. If my estimation of her birth time is correct, then it looks to me as though she is being saddled with the difficult task of navigating the road ahead for Britain in relation to Brexit without breaking up the UK or ruining its economy. The quincunxes to both her Saturn and natal Mercury suggest that this is both her Destiny and the task for which history will ultimately judge her.

However, given the trine between the transiting Moon and her natal Uranus in the 9th, if anyone can pull this off, she can. The Moon in Sag, representative of the electorate, together with transiting Jupiter orbiting close to her Libra Sun, together seem to suggest that she will indeed be voted back into power as Prime Minister.

But, as the saying goes, ‘Fortune favours the brave.’ I think that going forward, May will need to show strong, decisive leadership in order to contend with the tensions that Mars in Cancer may throw her way, including tensions within her party and government, as well as the upcoming Brexit negotiations. The Venus-Uranus conjunction falls in her 6th house, close to the DS, suggesting that she has work to do on this front, but that she could just pull it off, provided she seeks economic stability (Venus in Taurus) and puts it ahead of more academic considerations such as legal sovereignty.

Given the tr Sun-natal Mercury square, I also think she is going to have to do what Margaret Thatcher did early on in her career as prime minister, and hire a PR and speech guru to help her improve her communication style and media image, because her hands-off, rather distant approach didn’t do her any favours in this election campaign.

JEREMY CORBYN

Now this is interesting!

On one hand, Jeremy has tr Mercury conjunct his natal Sun, and the tr Gemini Sun conjunct his natal Mercury-Venus conjunction, which could suggest his election as Prime Minister.

On the other hand, we have the Moon in Sagittarius (electorate) sitting on his natal Chiron in the 4th house, which suggests the exposure of a private vulnerability. Now, a story about Corbyn’s past surfaced in the tabloids yesterday, which, together with his well-known opposition to war and nuclear defence programmes, did go some way to destroying his credibility on the security front. And given the recent terror attacks, this is a big issue for voters.

The Moon’s presence in the 4th, opposite his Gemini Sun in the 10th, is perhaps not a good sign. It suggests that although people may like him as a person, and be inspired by his ideas and values, they may privately not consider him to be leadership material in the sense of taking public office (10th house).

Transiting Jupiter conjunct his natal Neptune in the 2nd house seems to imply, however, that his values have very much struck a chord with many people, especially in relation to social justice and a fairer society for the many, not just the few.

But is it enough to get him elected? I am not sure. Although the transits in his chart seem to be more positive than negative, the square between transiting Neptune in his 7th to his natal Venus-Mercury conjunction appears to hint that people may find him too idealistic (and therefore not pragmatic enough) to be elected into a position of power. Venus rules his Midheaven, don’t forget! So this could be the decisive transit for him.

The square between transiting Venus in Jeremy’s 9th house, and his natal Jupiter in the 6th house, to me convey the idea that he is best at inspiring others but is not really cut out for public office. He is an ideagogue, rather than a politician or a public servant.

TIM FARRON

Given what I said in my election chart analysis about the Grand Trine involving Saturn, Uranus and the North Node, it is interesting that the tr Leo North Node falls very close to Tim’s Ascendant. Of course, we don’t know Tim’s actual time of birth, so this may be wrong.

But, the tr North Node still makes two sextiles to personal planets; one to his natal Mars in Gemini, and another to Tim’s natal Jupiter in Libra. It may also be telling that Tim is due for his Jupiter return later this year. Remember what happened to David Cameron when he had his Jupiter Return? He won a landslide victory in the 2015 elections, against all the odds.) This suggests that the Lib Dems may do better than expected in the 2017 election.

What’s more, in the run-up to the election, Farron has tr Uranus trine his natal Mars and Jupiter, suggesting plenty of energy for campaigning and, like Corbyn, the ability to generate a sense of optimism about the future. It may also point to a vigorous and galvanising online election campaign – one designed to motivate young people into voting – the group most likely to be pro-Brexit.

Transiting Jupiter, however, is separating from an opposition to his natal Uranus, which may be indicative of recklessness or an overly optimistic attitude – promising too much?

Also he does also have tr Saturn coming off a square to his natal Pluto and opposing his Mars, which may indicate that he failed to convince older voters to move away from either the Tories or Labour, perhaps due to a lack of detail in the Lib Dem manifesto with regards to economic policies or a viable plan to deal with the needs of an aging popultion?

Most tellingly, the Sagittarius Moon (electorate) is opposing his natal Sun and square to his north node. So although it may be on the Midheaven of the election chart (suggestive of high status or a prominent public position), it may not be ‘his time’… Perhaps people may not find him charismatic enough to elect him prime minister?

SUMMARY

Overall then, based on the Election Chart and the transits of key politicians, I would say that Theresa May’s Conservative Party will win the election, but not by as big a majority as she would have hoped for. This will be mainly due to more optimistic campaigns fought by the two main opposition parties – Labour and the Lib Dems. The former will steal votes from middle aged and senior voters, while the latter is likely to get most of the votes from young people. Labour will do better than expected, but not as good as some of the polls are suggesting, mainly because the Liberal Democrats and their online campaigns designed to reach a highly motivated and mobilised youth vote have been overlooked.

Will we end up with another coalition government, then, as we did in 2010? Although we do have Gemini on the Midheaven, which does suggest this possibility, I doubt it. With the Moon in the 4th house, I think that, if anything, we will have more co-operation between the opposition parties, mainly because of huge divisions over Brexit.

Voting has already begun, so we won’t have long to find out if my predictions are right. Good luck to everyone involved. I hope we have a peaceful and fair election day.