The Miliband Brothers: Politics of Power

On Monday Sept 27th at approx. 16.06, the candidates for the leadership of the Labour Party were told in private who had won the nomination. In the meantime on the conference floor, many political commentators still speculated that David Miliband – the fore runner from the outset of the competition, would win. Finally at 16.52  the cat was let out of the bag. Not David, but younger brother Ed was the winner by a hair’s breadth. Such a defeat at the hands of a brother is the stuff that tragedies are made of. See here:

” ‘That a brother should / Be so invidious!’ mutters a disbelieving Prospero in Shakespeare’s play The Tempest, after losing the throne of Milan to his brother Antonio. ‘Mark his condition and the event; then tell me / If this might be a brother.’

Indeed, despite David’s warm words – can both brothers remain within the Labour Party? The horoscope of David Miliband, time unknown: July 15th 1969, 12.00 London; horoscope Ed Miliband, 24 Dec. 1969, 12.00 London.

David Miliband is a Cancerian – and his Sun, Saturn, Neptune trines form a grand trine in water. While water retains and holds on to virtually everything, it also dilutes and dissolves. When operating well, the water grand trine bestows a high level of emotional intelligence and a great capacity to deal with life on its own terms. Cancerians are known to treasure their family,so  altogether this bodes well for the two brothers. However grand trines can also be easy, cosy places to hide out in, Neptune trine Sun – might lead one to drown one’s sorrows and regrets in alchol. However, the horoscope shows such great resourcefulness and talent, it is hard to imagine David, wallowing in the mire.
David Miliband’s Sun is quite closely conjunct to the UK Moon, which gives appeal amongst the common people. His Neptune is almost exactly conjunct with UK Neptune: disappointments. On the day the result was made public, David had the current transitting Sun (leadership) conjunct Saturn (power structures) conjunct his natal Mars in Libra. Mars in Libra is diplomatic but not in anyway revolutionary, his style is to talk but not to confront. This, while the current hardened political climate in the UK, calls for dynamic and aggressive opposition.

Ed Miliband is a Capricorn, whose radix Sun is almost conjunct with the UK Sun.  If we had a birth time, we might even discover that his Moon is pretty damn close to UK Moon as well. Ed is similar to his brother in that his chart too shows a strong Cancer presence, this of itself creates powerful emotional bonds. 
The strongest evidence for Ed’s success though is to be found in the horoscope for the Labour Party itself (Feb. 27th, 1900, 12.00 London). Tony Blair casts a long shadow and the fact that British troops are still being killed in Afghanistan on a daily basis, is a constant reminder of his New Labour policies. At present, Pluto transits Saturn in the horoscope for the Labour Party. This suggests an eagerness to break down old structures and associations in order to build up from the bottom again. David Miliband had a much higher profile in the Blair government.  and the synastry between Ed’s horoscope and the Labour Party is clearly the stronger. Ask yourself this: Who represents the type of total change that Labour is looking for? Ed of course, who himself is in the throes of a Pluto transit to his radix Sun. This makes Ed totally intune with the current collective transits. He is the man of the moment. The Pluto transit however does indicate that his old life is effectively over. Nothing will remain quite as it was before.
These shared Pluto transits however leave some questions unanswered. Pluto is content to be the power behind the throne. Covert operations and secret manoeuvrings are legitimate Pluto tactics. So is there something smelly in the woodshed? Did the Labour left and the unions put Ed in the driving seat? What secret machinations of power – if any – are in play here?? In the progressed horoscope for the Labour Party – the progressed Sun is currently conjunct Neptune, which seems to point to a return to grass roots socialism and good old fashioned idealism, but also to wooly headedness and a failiure to adequately recognise legitimate forms of power. The “Red Ed” label and the notion that Ed is a union’s man, might cost Labour dearly in the next election.

So, will David Miliband remain within the party?
The ability to work for your kid brother under this particular set of circumstances, surely demands an almost selfless devotion to a shared cause. Thinking of David’s grand trine here: Is it about socialism or is it about power? If the former is what’s really important then there should be no problem for David to stay within the government. However if it’s the latter, then it’s a no starter.