Peter Foster
@pmdfoster.bsky.social
Brighton-dwelling World Trade Editor at the Financial Times
https://www.ft.com/peter-foster
Sometime Brexit nerd & author of 'What Went Wrong with Brexit' https://t.co/VsIipD7JBr
https://www.ft.com/peter-foster
Sometime Brexit nerd & author of 'What Went Wrong with Brexit' https://t.co/VsIipD7JBr
AI pushers talk about it "augmenting" capacity, but that ignores human nature. Why walk or bike, when you can drive? It's easier, so most of us do, but you get fat & lazy. AI will do the same to a lot of people's brains, I fear. Via @financialtimes.com piece on AI habits
ig.ft.com/ai-personal-...
ig.ft.com/ai-personal-...
October 7, 2025 at 3:52 PM
AI pushers talk about it "augmenting" capacity, but that ignores human nature. Why walk or bike, when you can drive? It's easier, so most of us do, but you get fat & lazy. AI will do the same to a lot of people's brains, I fear. Via @financialtimes.com piece on AI habits
ig.ft.com/ai-personal-...
ig.ft.com/ai-personal-...
Brutal BBC piece on how fast Switzerland’s glaciers are melting.
Drill baby drill. 🎶🎵
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Drill baby drill. 🎶🎵
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
October 5, 2025 at 3:24 PM
Brutal BBC piece on how fast Switzerland’s glaciers are melting.
Drill baby drill. 🎶🎵
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Drill baby drill. 🎶🎵
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Magnificent peroration to Simon Schama’s @financialtimes.com weekend essay on defending freedom of speech in the era of Trump - with help from Milton, Jefferson et al.
on.ft.com/4gSqvDw Simon Schama: What America’s Founders can teach Trump about liberty
on.ft.com/4gSqvDw Simon Schama: What America’s Founders can teach Trump about liberty
October 4, 2025 at 3:46 PM
Magnificent peroration to Simon Schama’s @financialtimes.com weekend essay on defending freedom of speech in the era of Trump - with help from Milton, Jefferson et al.
on.ft.com/4gSqvDw Simon Schama: What America’s Founders can teach Trump about liberty
on.ft.com/4gSqvDw Simon Schama: What America’s Founders can teach Trump about liberty
Brutal new MRP poll out today showing Reform at 311 and Labour support collapsing.
Worth reading steaming @financialtimes.com column on Starmer by @robertshrimsley.bsky.social
“Starmer can’t afford to wait for reckless Reform to implode”
on.ft.com/3VxxCaR
Worth reading steaming @financialtimes.com column on Starmer by @robertshrimsley.bsky.social
“Starmer can’t afford to wait for reckless Reform to implode”
on.ft.com/3VxxCaR
September 26, 2025 at 6:52 AM
Brutal new MRP poll out today showing Reform at 311 and Labour support collapsing.
Worth reading steaming @financialtimes.com column on Starmer by @robertshrimsley.bsky.social
“Starmer can’t afford to wait for reckless Reform to implode”
on.ft.com/3VxxCaR
Worth reading steaming @financialtimes.com column on Starmer by @robertshrimsley.bsky.social
“Starmer can’t afford to wait for reckless Reform to implode”
on.ft.com/3VxxCaR
The data is in -- tourism to US dropped after Trump came in, while tourism recovered in rest of world...foreign arrivals at American airports down 3.8% compared with 2024, or 1.3m fewer people. With more Americans going the other way. See charts via @economist.com
www.economist.com/graphic-deta...
www.economist.com/graphic-deta...
September 20, 2025 at 2:09 PM
The data is in -- tourism to US dropped after Trump came in, while tourism recovered in rest of world...foreign arrivals at American airports down 3.8% compared with 2024, or 1.3m fewer people. With more Americans going the other way. See charts via @economist.com
www.economist.com/graphic-deta...
www.economist.com/graphic-deta...
To even allow the appearance of this — Starmer’s No 10 adopting Trumpian media management policies — seems extraordinary to me. Very depressing.
September 18, 2025 at 11:35 AM
To even allow the appearance of this — Starmer’s No 10 adopting Trumpian media management policies — seems extraordinary to me. Very depressing.
Passion from WTO founder James Bacchus at @wto.org panel on “The WTO without the United States?”
“I have a message for 165 of the 166 members of the WTO: ‘stop letting the United States of America push you around. Stand up for your rights under the WTO treaty’. …’use it or lose it’”
Cue applause.
“I have a message for 165 of the 166 members of the WTO: ‘stop letting the United States of America push you around. Stand up for your rights under the WTO treaty’. …’use it or lose it’”
Cue applause.
September 18, 2025 at 9:38 AM
Passion from WTO founder James Bacchus at @wto.org panel on “The WTO without the United States?”
“I have a message for 165 of the 166 members of the WTO: ‘stop letting the United States of America push you around. Stand up for your rights under the WTO treaty’. …’use it or lose it’”
Cue applause.
“I have a message for 165 of the 166 members of the WTO: ‘stop letting the United States of America push you around. Stand up for your rights under the WTO treaty’. …’use it or lose it’”
Cue applause.
on.ft.com/4nhvSyM NEW: Trump tariffs on EU medical devices will drive up US patient bills, industry claims
…with a very testy White House response, which usually means they’re worried about it.
Me and @judewebber.bsky.social for @financialtimes.com
…with a very testy White House response, which usually means they’re worried about it.
Me and @judewebber.bsky.social for @financialtimes.com
September 18, 2025 at 7:08 AM
on.ft.com/4nhvSyM NEW: Trump tariffs on EU medical devices will drive up US patient bills, industry claims
…with a very testy White House response, which usually means they’re worried about it.
Me and @judewebber.bsky.social for @financialtimes.com
…with a very testy White House response, which usually means they’re worried about it.
Me and @judewebber.bsky.social for @financialtimes.com
Spending a couple of days at the @wto.org in Geneva taking the pulse at the annual Public Forum — the “Woodstock of world trade” as one rather enthusiastic participant put it.
Lots of jokes about whether WTO even has a pulse these days.
Might be on life support, but not dead quite yet…
Lots of jokes about whether WTO even has a pulse these days.
Might be on life support, but not dead quite yet…
September 18, 2025 at 6:59 AM
Spending a couple of days at the @wto.org in Geneva taking the pulse at the annual Public Forum — the “Woodstock of world trade” as one rather enthusiastic participant put it.
Lots of jokes about whether WTO even has a pulse these days.
Might be on life support, but not dead quite yet…
Lots of jokes about whether WTO even has a pulse these days.
Might be on life support, but not dead quite yet…
Tariff exemptions to follow? 😏
September 10, 2025 at 3:05 PM
Tariff exemptions to follow? 😏
The data that shows the internet removes guardrails and fuels populism — it’s either the unfiltered “will of the people” or digital mob rule. Take your pick.
Grabs from @jburnmurdoch.ft.com piece here:
on.ft.com/45WUaGw The end of the gatekeepers
Grabs from @jburnmurdoch.ft.com piece here:
on.ft.com/45WUaGw The end of the gatekeepers
September 5, 2025 at 11:01 AM
The data that shows the internet removes guardrails and fuels populism — it’s either the unfiltered “will of the people” or digital mob rule. Take your pick.
Grabs from @jburnmurdoch.ft.com piece here:
on.ft.com/45WUaGw The end of the gatekeepers
Grabs from @jburnmurdoch.ft.com piece here:
on.ft.com/45WUaGw The end of the gatekeepers
Honking endorsement for Farage, Johnson et la, without a moment’s reflection that 10 years of UKIPified Tory govt created the mess they’re railing about — booming benefits bills, bond market routs, immigration surges, trade slump and investment slumps. Bring back Boris and Nadine! That’ll fix it. 🙈
September 5, 2025 at 6:25 AM
Honking endorsement for Farage, Johnson et la, without a moment’s reflection that 10 years of UKIPified Tory govt created the mess they’re railing about — booming benefits bills, bond market routs, immigration surges, trade slump and investment slumps. Bring back Boris and Nadine! That’ll fix it. 🙈
What a picture. Captions anyone?
September 1, 2025 at 8:23 AM
What a picture. Captions anyone?
Was reading excellent James Kirkup @jkirkup.bsky.social piece on the coming pension crisis and the need to encourage saving…in which he warned against populist rabbble rousers.
And then, forsooth, look what dropped into my inbox from GB News…🙄
www.thetimes.com/article/0552...
And then, forsooth, look what dropped into my inbox from GB News…🙄
www.thetimes.com/article/0552...
July 22, 2025 at 7:46 AM
Was reading excellent James Kirkup @jkirkup.bsky.social piece on the coming pension crisis and the need to encourage saving…in which he warned against populist rabbble rousers.
And then, forsooth, look what dropped into my inbox from GB News…🙄
www.thetimes.com/article/0552...
And then, forsooth, look what dropped into my inbox from GB News…🙄
www.thetimes.com/article/0552...
🚨Don’t believe the myth: Britain’s services exports have been hit hard by Brexit
Important @chrisgiles.ft.com piece writing up LSE paper.
on.ft.com/3GyOyK5
Important @chrisgiles.ft.com piece writing up LSE paper.
on.ft.com/3GyOyK5
July 10, 2025 at 6:31 AM
🚨Don’t believe the myth: Britain’s services exports have been hit hard by Brexit
Important @chrisgiles.ft.com piece writing up LSE paper.
on.ft.com/3GyOyK5
Important @chrisgiles.ft.com piece writing up LSE paper.
on.ft.com/3GyOyK5
Why you’re getting drought warnings if you live in north/midlands of UK
July 2, 2025 at 6:56 AM
Why you’re getting drought warnings if you live in north/midlands of UK
This Telegraph admission is v scary sign of our times. They admit the story is fake to SQUASH the rumour that it was AI-generated -- because they know that this would turn all their journalism into soup.
Of course, if it HAD been AI generated (unique pix etc) no-one would ever have known. Discuss.
Of course, if it HAD been AI generated (unique pix etc) no-one would ever have known. Discuss.
June 19, 2025 at 4:40 PM
This Telegraph admission is v scary sign of our times. They admit the story is fake to SQUASH the rumour that it was AI-generated -- because they know that this would turn all their journalism into soup.
Of course, if it HAD been AI generated (unique pix etc) no-one would ever have known. Discuss.
Of course, if it HAD been AI generated (unique pix etc) no-one would ever have known. Discuss.
Gotta smile at this from my old shop. Somewhere in the jungle, the war continues...
June 19, 2025 at 4:22 PM
Gotta smile at this from my old shop. Somewhere in the jungle, the war continues...
So according to this poll, a third of Lib Dem and Green voters, and one fifth of Labour voters trust Farage over Starmer to run the economy 🤷♂️.
@robfordmancs.bsky.social can you help?
Makes you wonder if they read the question right?
@robfordmancs.bsky.social can you help?
Makes you wonder if they read the question right?
June 8, 2025 at 10:41 AM
So according to this poll, a third of Lib Dem and Green voters, and one fifth of Labour voters trust Farage over Starmer to run the economy 🤷♂️.
@robfordmancs.bsky.social can you help?
Makes you wonder if they read the question right?
@robfordmancs.bsky.social can you help?
Makes you wonder if they read the question right?
Spent the week truffling in the margins of the OECD conference on trade and the economy— here’s what i picked up was going behind the scenes.
on.ft.com/3ZlF7Uv Donald Trump’s go-it-alone trade doctrine shakes Paris summit
on.ft.com/3ZlF7Uv Donald Trump’s go-it-alone trade doctrine shakes Paris summit
June 7, 2025 at 10:01 AM
Spent the week truffling in the margins of the OECD conference on trade and the economy— here’s what i picked up was going behind the scenes.
on.ft.com/3ZlF7Uv Donald Trump’s go-it-alone trade doctrine shakes Paris summit
on.ft.com/3ZlF7Uv Donald Trump’s go-it-alone trade doctrine shakes Paris summit
😲 $40 popcorn at new Universal Studios Florida theme park…coming soon (2030-something) to a Bedford theme park near you.
Universal wants to steal Disney’s theme-park magic
economist.com/business/202...
from The Economist
Universal wants to steal Disney’s theme-park magic
economist.com/business/202...
from The Economist
June 2, 2025 at 2:23 PM
😲 $40 popcorn at new Universal Studios Florida theme park…coming soon (2030-something) to a Bedford theme park near you.
Universal wants to steal Disney’s theme-park magic
economist.com/business/202...
from The Economist
Universal wants to steal Disney’s theme-park magic
economist.com/business/202...
from The Economist
Cracking @chrisgiles.ft.com column today on why prediction of shrinking/ageing workforce in 2000 proved (happily) wide of mark...
www.ft.com/content/3e31...
www.ft.com/content/3e31...
May 29, 2025 at 5:19 PM
Cracking @chrisgiles.ft.com column today on why prediction of shrinking/ageing workforce in 2000 proved (happily) wide of mark...
www.ft.com/content/3e31...
www.ft.com/content/3e31...
Only one small quibble. Anand says there was maybe half a case for the ‘buccaneering Britain” narrative in 2016 and maybe 2020 - when Johnson made his Greenwich speech. But actually Johnson pretty admits — in the speech — it’s a fools errand, covered up by a desperate hubristic assertion. (See text)
May 24, 2025 at 8:29 AM
Only one small quibble. Anand says there was maybe half a case for the ‘buccaneering Britain” narrative in 2016 and maybe 2020 - when Johnson made his Greenwich speech. But actually Johnson pretty admits — in the speech — it’s a fools errand, covered up by a desperate hubristic assertion. (See text)
“Building a UK factory would be ‘too expensive’ and the country lacked potential customers” — Billionaire battery boss Robin Zeng of CATL dismissed UK in an aside during exclusive @financialtimes.com interview.
Welcome to piggy-in-the-middle Britain.
on.ft.com/4msOgoc
Welcome to piggy-in-the-middle Britain.
on.ft.com/4msOgoc
May 21, 2025 at 6:11 PM
“Building a UK factory would be ‘too expensive’ and the country lacked potential customers” — Billionaire battery boss Robin Zeng of CATL dismissed UK in an aside during exclusive @financialtimes.com interview.
Welcome to piggy-in-the-middle Britain.
on.ft.com/4msOgoc
Welcome to piggy-in-the-middle Britain.
on.ft.com/4msOgoc
Read ‘em and weep…
…Tory shadow ministers raging about UK giving up the ‘benefits’ of divergence that they could never find a use for, is peak Brexit delusion.
But I fear it’s not going away.
…Tory shadow ministers raging about UK giving up the ‘benefits’ of divergence that they could never find a use for, is peak Brexit delusion.
But I fear it’s not going away.
May 20, 2025 at 6:28 AM
Read ‘em and weep…
…Tory shadow ministers raging about UK giving up the ‘benefits’ of divergence that they could never find a use for, is peak Brexit delusion.
But I fear it’s not going away.
…Tory shadow ministers raging about UK giving up the ‘benefits’ of divergence that they could never find a use for, is peak Brexit delusion.
But I fear it’s not going away.