On 24 Sep 2019 the High Court of the UK ruled that Boris Johnson’s proroguing of Parliament on 28 Aug 19 was illegal, by unanimous vote of the 11 sitting justices. It was a stinging blow to the government and a shock decision to many. Since then there have been calls for Boris’ resignation as well as Jacob Rees Mogg, and for the firing of Dominic Cummings, the probable mastermind of the plan. This has made for a classic case study in legal astrology, which we will get to here. It is also a pivotal moment in the Brexit debates. The Parliament reconvenes on the 25th, with the Speaker, John Bercow, having called for it to do so.
We will get straight into the chart, then, and see what it tells us. The chart is below (bigger):
This is a straightforward presentation, with no real need to pull in a lot of factors. The purpose of the litigation, or the focus, was upon Parliament. Parliaments and legislative bodies in general are indicated by the 11th house in a national or event horoscope, as they supposedly represent the desires of the nation. The 11th house in the ruling is ruled by Mercury, with Mercury placed in that house, conjunct Venus.
Venus rules the 7th house. The plaintiff in the case, one Gina Miller, is represented by the 7th house (the ‘attacker’ or the one who brought the case against the government). The government is represented in the 1st house (the target group or individual), ruled by Pluto. At the time of the announcement of the verdict (10:35 am BST), we find Uranus on the Taurus Descendant.
Judges and judicial matters in general are ruled by Jupiter, the natural ruler of the 9th house (the judiciary and the national ideals). The 9th house of the chart for the ruling is the Moon, which is sextile the Sun, ruling the 10th house, and square to Uranus, ruling the 4th house.
In the case of any verdict (also 7th house), the 4th house must be considered, representing the conclusion of a situation, as well as the 8th house, representing losses and gains as the result of litigation, as well as overthrows. The 4th house is ruled by Uranus here, and the 8th by Mercury.
So, now we have the basic setup. Was Parliament or the government favored in the chart? The answer is fairly clear. Mercury (Parliament) is sextile by less than a degree to Jupiter. It is also separating from a square to Saturn, meaning the Jupiterian influence was waxing. In addition, with Mercury also ruling the 8th house, it showed a gain for the plaintiff as a result of the ruling, since the plaintiff was representing the Parliament. And then there is the shock value of the judgement, which is shown by Uranus.
At first glance, with Uranus conjunct the house of the plaintiff, one might expect the unexpected for the plaintiff. However, it also opposes the defendant. But Venus, also ruling justice, is in Libra, one of the signs it rules, and is thus strong. It is also conjunct Mercury, which also rules the 11th house (associations and parliaments). In a sense here we could say that Parliament is with the plaintiff. Mercury, again ruling the 8th, is square Pluto, showing stress and a probable unwanted outcome. Plus, Pluto is in Capricorn and in the same sign as Saturn, and retrograde as well, indicating motions going against the defendant (the government).
But wait…isn’t Pluto trine Mars, giving a shot of energy to the defendant (government)? And isn’t Venus square to Saturn, overriding the wide conjunction with Pluto? Well, Venus is also sextile Jupiter – widely, for certain – but Mercury is in a closer sextile, in fact within a degree. And Jupiter is in the sign it rules, Sagittarius. Also, the Sun, ruling the sitting government (10th house) is in its fall by essential dignity. And then we have Venus sextile Ceres, indicating a turning point in favor of the plaintiff. Jupiter is conjunct Ceres, reinforcing the idea of a turning point represented by the decision. Saturn is also the old ruler of Aquarius, the 4th house, ruling the opposition and the end of the situation. Venus and Mercury are both in the Saturn decanate of Libra.
Finally, we have the judiciary, ruled by the 9th house, ruled by the Moon in this case, and that is in an approaching square to Uranus, even while the former is sextile the Sun. Uranus is in the Venus decanate of Taurus. The judges were bound to throw a wrench in the works of the government. However, more than that, the case has set a precedent. Uranus represents precedents, and conjunct the 7th house, shows the precedent presented by the case.
The Jupiter sextile by Mercury is perhaps the most telling aspect in the chart. Because the case involved the proroguing (deliberate weakening) of Parliament, that aspect alone shows the success of the case, all other factors being weighed. The purpose of the case is always central to determination of outcomes.
With Mercury squaring Pluto, we see the struggle between the government and Parliament. The outcome of the situation (4th house) was a surprise (Uranus) to many, which is given further weight by the approaching square by the Moon, ruling the Court. Then, there are midpoints.
The problem with using midpoints in a chart like this is that both ends of an axis, as in the Horizon or Meridian, are represented in the same midpoint. To judge the relative strength or weakness of the end of an axis, one must look to the planet that rules that point and planets on the axis. Those are outlined on the chart to the left, so we won’t go over them here. In reading through them though, we see that the 4th house is stronger by midpoint emphasis that the 10th, which looks more confused.
Then, any event chart has to be read in the context of the body it affects, in this case the UK. The chart of the verdict with the UK chart is below (bigger):
Every event is the result of previous events and prevailing factors, and those previous factors result in a time element, determining when the outcome (the resulting event) takes place. With this ruling, we see that it was a case of events falling into place in what appears to be a predetermined outcome. That is represented by the event Midheaven on the UK Saturn, with a wide approaching trine by Jupiter, favoring the opposition, along with the judgement Ascendant opposite the UK Mars. Then there is the event Vertex opposite the UK Mercury, the former giving a new view of the situation and of the High Court, and the latter which was receiving a transit of Jupiter and a square by Neptune.
We also see the final approach of Pluto opposite the UK Moon, ruling the government, showing the upset for Boris and the Tories. The transiting Moon was on the UK Jupiter, giving a sense of optimism, but also highlighting the judiciary.
Then, there was the shock result shown by the transit of the Sun on the UK Uranus and quincunx Pluto, showing the new precedent. The ruling has made the UK stock market (5th house, which Uranus rules and in which Pluto resides) volatile with uncertainty over how the ruling would affect the government. But if it is an indication, the pound moved higher, showing that business, at least, is not in favor of no-deal. That house also rules public happiness and sorrow, and the ruling has affected the British public and parliament both ways, with elation for Remainers and sorrow for Leavers.
The transit of the Sun over Uranus and of the event Ascendant across from Mars shows the uncertainty that this represents for the UK, as to how Boris will react/respond to the judgement and the litigious atmosphere it is bound to produce in the UK. Parliament sessions will be good viewing in the following days.
And what of Boris? His chart does show ‘intervention by a higher power’ – in this case the High Court. But the ultimate highest power in any land is it people. Starting on the 8th of October he has a transit of Neptune sesquisquare his Moon, the latter ruling his 10th house (reputation and career) and a transit of Pluto sesquisquare to his Uranus, ruling his 5th house (gambles, speculations and so forth), both of which will be in effect throughout the remainder of October. The Neptune transit will call into question his status and reputation and probably weaken his chances. The Pluto transit will be unsettling and could mean an upset for him. But then, he also has helpful Saturn transits to his Jupiter and Neptune. But neither of those rule houses that are essential to his career (3rd and 6th, resp.)
The main takeaway from this episode is not about Boris Johnson anyway. This was a test of the power of a government over Parliament, the courts and the role of the monarchy as well, the latter ruled by the Sun in general, referring back to the event chart. This case has shown that the British government is answerable to Parliament, and to many people this has somewhat restored the sense that checks and balances do work, at least on occasion, and that government cannot necessarily or easily do whatever it wants. The people’s voice is still heard in the halls of power, and the rule of law is still the law of the land. And now the real tests begin. As we well know, there is always going to be someone who will try to test the law.
Featured pic from The Richmond Sentinel