Paul Foster
Paul Foster
@pfhistory.bsky.social
Retired lawyer. MA(SWW:Conflict, Societies, Holocaust)
Researching Italy 1943-45. Interests, Italy, German occupation policies, history of aviation and more things than I have time for!
Reposted by Paul Foster
There is a precedent for a person getting someone else's Nobel Prize. In 1943, the Norwegian writer Knut Hamsun, gave his Nobel Prize in literature to Joseph Goebbels uwapress.uw.edu/book/9780295...
Knut Hamsun
Awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1920, Knut Hamsun (1859–1952) was a towering figure of Norwegian letters. He was also a Nazi sympathizer and supp...
uwapress.uw.edu
January 16, 2026 at 1:41 PM
Reposted by Paul Foster
Our first revamped newsletter has gone out! This month, as well as all our latest news, we gave everyone a free article by member @akimlinger.bsky.social about her hero, "Black Jack" Pershing from 2023. Make sure you're on the list for next time by following the link 👏

mailchi.mp/b78b7069aa5e...
January 15, 2026 at 8:14 PM
Reposted by Paul Foster
Worth noting that one reason why recruitment of FTT immigration judges has been difficult is the risk that Robert Jenrick would read out your name in Parliament and call for you to be sacked when you give a decision he didn’t like.
2. Main purpose of scrapping existing tribunal seems from letter to be to aid recruitment of judges/adjudicators. It is thought there are too few qualified people willing to do job at the moment. So rather than increasing pay or improving conditions, plan is to reduce qualifications needed.
January 15, 2026 at 12:46 PM
Reposted by Paul Foster
Badenoch had multiple opportunities to sack Jenrick on matters of principle.

By ducking that, she let him pull the Tory Party to ever more grotesque positions while building his profile.

And by sacking him now, she gives the impression that the only offence that matters is disloyalty to the party.
BREAKING Kemi Badenoch has sacked Robert Jenrick from the shadow cabinet, removed the whip and suspended his party membership.

She says she was "presented with clear, irrefutable evidence that he was plotting in secret to defect" to Reform
January 15, 2026 at 11:46 AM
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Not the main point I know but malcontent factions in British politics used to have names like ‘Adullamites’ and now we’ve degenerated to ‘grid of shit plotters’. www.theguardian.com/politics/202...
January 15, 2026 at 11:57 AM
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Best outcome is Farage says no + Bobby J is forced to set up yet another "would you like some racism with that?" party causing further fragmentation on the right.
January 15, 2026 at 11:51 AM
Reposted by Paul Foster
When I stop laughing I'll provide some insightful analysis.
BREAKING Kemi Badenoch has sacked Robert Jenrick from the shadow cabinet, removed the whip and suspended his party membership.

She says she was "presented with clear, irrefutable evidence that he was plotting in secret to defect" to Reform
January 15, 2026 at 11:16 AM
Reposted by Paul Foster
🔴 Last week the Free Speech Union got a High Court writ to prevent the publication of a list of its donors

So we decided to investigate who *does* fund Toby Young's outfit

Wanna see? 🫣

New on Democracy for Sale:
democracyforsale.substack.com/p/who-funds-...
Who funds the Free Speech Union?
Toby Young’s outfit went to court to hide its donors. Today we reveal that funders include US anti-abortion groups, Brexit politicians and Tufton Street insiders.
democracyforsale.substack.com
January 15, 2026 at 9:31 AM
Reposted by Paul Foster
Labour can extend this beyond X and start going after Reform politicians making money from the site. "Will Farage give back the money he made from this sex offender site?" Etc...
Has there ever been any poll showing the public this united? yougov.co.uk/technology/a...
January 13, 2026 at 1:16 PM
Reposted by Paul Foster
🚨🚨This is a very welcome and brave decision (yes, there are also reasons to keep a presence at the #X cesspit) by @bestforbritain.org which is a key think tank on #UKpolitics and #brexit analyses. Kudos from me to @pimlicat.bsky.social & @sturdyalex.bsky.social and rest of team.
Why we won't be using X anymore ⬇️
January 13, 2026 at 7:26 AM
Reposted by Paul Foster
There are now at least 365 UK MPs with accounts on Bluesky – more than half (56%) of all MPs

🔴 This includes nearly 70% of Labour MPs
🔶 Nearly 90% of Lib Dem MPs
🟢 All the 4 Green MPs

🔵 But only 5% of Conservative MPs
➡️ No Reform MPs
More MPs are coming off X and I assume that means they will be posting more on here

@politicshome.bsky.social has a handy list of all the MPs on Bluesky

Please point out anyone who is missing!
January 12, 2026 at 7:33 PM
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It is so strange that crime doesn’t occur where people don’t live.
January 12, 2026 at 10:27 AM
Reposted by Paul Foster
I call on my party and my government to remove themselves entirely from X and communicate with the public where they actually participate online and can be protected from such illegality.
January 8, 2026 at 12:31 PM
Reposted by Paul Foster
Hopefully a way out of this criminal tragedy is found, but there are dynamics here that echo Syria in spring 2011
Steadfast courage & horror: Possible killing of 100s civilians in midst of internet blockade is shocking response by #Iran authorities to calls for change.

#EU should spare no effort to end violence, press for full accountability.

www.theguardian.com/world/2026/j...
‘The streets are full of blood’: Iranian protests gather momentum as regime cracks down
Demonstrators recount experiences on the frontlines as protest movement rapidly moves beyond government’s control
www.theguardian.com
January 12, 2026 at 8:26 AM
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Anyone who wants to mount their high horse and gallop around proclaiming that their leaving Twitter risks it becoming an echo chamber for racists, misogynists and paedophiles, should be invited to cite examples of where their posts resulted in people renouncing their racism, misogyny or paedophilia.
January 10, 2026 at 4:46 PM
Reposted by Paul Foster
British police have killed fewer people in the last 100 years than American police kill in an average month.

Policing in America is an ongoing tragedy.
January 9, 2026 at 7:33 PM
Reposted by Paul Foster
Yes. She defied him, called him "big boy," told him to eat lunch. He could not STAND that from a strong woman who was so clearly flouting the "rules" for women. That's why this woman's wife was shot. Kimberlé Crenshaw's intersectionalism fully acted out on video
January 9, 2026 at 7:33 PM
Reposted by Paul Foster
Incredible. ICE agent Jonathan Ross called Renee Good a “fuckin’ bitch” just seconds after shooting her in the face and killing her.
SHOCK CELL PHONE VIDEO: Renee Good's final words to her murderer: “That’s fine dude, I’m not mad at you.”

ICE agent Jonathan Ross after shooting and killing her seconds later: “Fuckin’ bitch.”

Via Alpha News
January 9, 2026 at 6:44 PM
Reposted by Paul Foster
The Royal Historical Society is a membership organisation of 7000+ historians, UK and RoW. We welcome historians to join us at any time: next closing dates 9 March and 11 May.

We offer membership categories for all kinds of historians and at all stages of research: bit.ly/46V8WOQ #Skystorians 1/2
January 9, 2026 at 11:29 AM
Reposted by Paul Foster
The Government is planning to send King Charles to the US to celebrate with Trump. Giving him a royal visit right now sends a terrible message that his behaviour is acceptable. We can stop this if enough of us speak up. Will you add your name to the petition? you.38degrees.org.uk/petitions/ca...
Call off the King’s visit to the US for the 250th anniversary of America's independence
With the current political chaos in the US and Trump’s failure to adhere to international norms, and given his apparent obsession with the Monarchy, calling off this visit would send a powerful messag...
you.38degrees.org.uk
January 9, 2026 at 11:06 AM
Reposted by Paul Foster
This is not the law.
January 8, 2026 at 6:59 PM
Reposted by Paul Foster
A woman was shot dead on camera and Trump’s ICE is launching a full scale coverup. Nobody is above the law. Federal agents who break the law in Minnesota, Oregon or anywhere else, must be prosecuted.
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) - Minnesota investigators say they can't access evidence after fatal ICE shooting and FBI won't work jointly on probe.

@reuters.com
January 8, 2026 at 6:21 PM
Reposted by Paul Foster
This is a fascinating interview, well worth 10 minutes of anyone’s time
Sam and I interviewed John Bew, foreign policy advisor to 4 prime ministers, to discuss his experiences at No 10 and the direction of UK foreign policy, including dealing with Trump. (Free), open.substack.com/pub/samf/p/i...?
Interview with John Bew - adviser to four Prime Ministers
On Whitehall, Ukraine, Trump and the global challenges facing Britain
open.substack.com
January 8, 2026 at 6:55 PM