iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Peter Foster @pmdfoster.bsky.social · 07/10/2025

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-...

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Peter Foster @pmdfoster.bsky.social · 05/10/2025

Brutal BBC piece on how fast Switzerland’s glaciers are melting. Drill baby drill. 🎶🎵 www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

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Peter Foster @pmdfoster.bsky.social · 04/10/2025

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

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Peter Foster @pmdfoster.bsky.social · 26/09/2025

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

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Peter Foster @pmdfoster.bsky.social · 20/09/2025

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...

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Peter Foster @pmdfoster.bsky.social · 18/09/2025

To even allow the appearance of this — Starmer’s No 10 adopting Trumpian media management policies — seems extraordinary to me. Very depressing.

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Peter Foster @pmdfoster.bsky.social · 18/09/2025

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.

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Peter Foster @pmdfoster.bsky.social · 18/09/2025

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

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Peter Foster @pmdfoster.bsky.social · 18/09/2025

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…

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Peter Foster @pmdfoster.bsky.social · 10/09/2025

Tariff exemptions to follow? 😏

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Peter Foster @pmdfoster.bsky.social · 05/09/2025

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

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Peter Foster @pmdfoster.bsky.social · 05/09/2025

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. 🙈

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Peter Foster @pmdfoster.bsky.social · 22/07/2025

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...

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Peter Foster @pmdfoster.bsky.social · 10/07/2025

🚨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

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Peter Foster @pmdfoster.bsky.social · 02/07/2025

Why you’re getting drought warnings if you live in north/midlands of UK

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Peter Foster @pmdfoster.bsky.social · 19/06/2025

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.

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Peter Foster @pmdfoster.bsky.social · 19/06/2025

Gotta smile at this from my old shop. Somewhere in the jungle, the war continues...

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Peter Foster @pmdfoster.bsky.social · 08/06/2025

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?

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Peter Foster @pmdfoster.bsky.social · 07/06/2025

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

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Peter Foster @pmdfoster.bsky.social · 02/06/2025

😲 $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

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Peter Foster @pmdfoster.bsky.social · 29/05/2025

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...

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Peter Foster @pmdfoster.bsky.social · 24/05/2025

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)

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Peter Foster @pmdfoster.bsky.social · 21/05/2025

“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

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Peter Foster @pmdfoster.bsky.social · 20/05/2025

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.

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Peter Foster @pmdfoster.bsky.social · 15/05/2025

The EU-UK pre-summit negotiations are getting spicy ahead of Monday summit — EU member states digging in on mobility and fish, UK trying (and failing) to lobby capitals over Commisson’s head. Some trenchant briefings to me @andybounds.bsky.social and @georgewparker.bsky.social on.ft.com/4jVUMSF

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Peter Foster @pmdfoster.bsky.social · 14/05/2025

Stamer is "a PM who has reached the top by swerving hard choices, flinching from difficult debates. His method has worked...It is the reason for his victory, not the purpose." @rafaelbehr.bsky.social forensic on how Starmer is becalmed by his lack of why-for. www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

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Peter Foster @pmdfoster.bsky.social · 13/05/2025

Where @stephenkb.bsky.social @financialtimes.com nails the yawning gap between Labour’s immigration policy and its promise to deliver growth and repair public services. The politics of delusion. on.ft.com/4kcdVPT Migration cuts are a luxury the UK cannot afford

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Peter Foster @pmdfoster.bsky.social · 12/05/2025

It's never dared to say that lower migration means more expensive social care -- higher taxes, in effect. That its programmes -- the 1.5mn houses, a new grid -- require welders and engineers that UK Further Education colleges can't afford to train. /7

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Peter Foster @pmdfoster.bsky.social · 21/04/2025

In America…universities advise foreign students to have “personal care packages” and arrangements to have kids picked up from school/daycare if they’re detained. In America…my head hurts. on.ft.com/4jpXpfs Trump, Vance and the attack on American universities

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Peter Foster @pmdfoster.bsky.social · 20/04/2025

Happy Easter, if that’s your thing.

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Peter Foster @pmdfoster.bsky.social · 19/04/2025

“A currency is only as good as the government that backs it.” 😱$$$ via @economist.com

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Peter Foster @pmdfoster.bsky.social · 18/04/2025

#tobycarvery - DM me and I’ll let you know where to find this beauty of a yew tree. Must 400+ years old. Walked past it today, reckon must be a health and safety risk. We could get that all safe and cut down in an afternoon, I reckon.

Ancient yew tree, of great girth, in a Shropshire forest.

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Peter Foster @pmdfoster.bsky.social · 18/04/2025

UK big supermarkets calling for a “veterinary deal” with the EU…via @financialtimes.com …a point of reference next time Lord Frost is saying it would be a “sell out”. Letter sent to Sefcovic as a “spine-stiffener” lest Labour gets Trump/Reform collywobbles. on.ft.com/42kTdHN

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Peter Foster @pmdfoster.bsky.social · 16/04/2025

Another reason to ❤️ Brighton. We still have a few elms, that survived Dutch Elm Disease. Lovely at this time of year. @sabaone.bsky.social

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Peter Foster @pmdfoster.bsky.social · 02/04/2025

The chart of doom…but Donald still has a way of making it feel all weirdly compelling. I’m old enough to remember Boris Johnson announcing the EU-UK trade deal and saying “if anything” it would allow the UK to export MORE to the EU. Snake oil, anyone?

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Peter Foster @pmdfoster.bsky.social · 02/04/2025

If you’re in need of expert consultancy advice as Trump prepares to launch his tariff fest…

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Peter Foster @pmdfoster.bsky.social · 27/03/2025

Ford and GM face 30pc earning slump, per industry analyst, after auto tarrifs imposed. The Donald stepping on the proverbial rake. 🤦‍♂️ on.ft.com/4jbQoyh

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Peter Foster @pmdfoster.bsky.social · 24/03/2025

New Public First polling shows how tough the “gun and butter” debate is for Starmer — public is wildly cakeist and Lab voters think butter more important. With @theboysmithy.ft.com dataviz for @financialtimes.com on.ft.com/421yt6y New poll shows risks for Keir Starmer over spending choices

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Peter Foster @pmdfoster.bsky.social · 15/03/2025

Why it’ll be much harder for EU to cut deals with US than Mexico and Canada. The animus is personal/ideological, as Musk and Vance keep showing. We’ll see if Starmer/Labour (similarly abused by Musk) find themselves in the same bucket…tbc.

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Peter Foster @pmdfoster.bsky.social · 12/03/2025

Some @financialtimes.com reader feedback on how poorly UK govt trade support compares to competitor countries, like Ireland. (Hear this a lot fwiw) …As NAO raises concerns that Dept for Business and Trade is struggling to join dots in Whitehall on industrial strategy. on.ft.com/3DAT6Ov

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Peter Foster @pmdfoster.bsky.social · 05/03/2025

These two events are in no way connected.

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Peter Foster @pmdfoster.bsky.social · 26/02/2025

Here’s a talking point. Massive surge in AI use by students, per Savanta survey for Higher Education Policy Institue report. Me and @amyborrett.ft.com for @financialtimes.com on.ft.com/3D82ysx

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Peter Foster @pmdfoster.bsky.social · 25/02/2025

The mad merry-go-round of spending on stop-gap accommodation for homeless. Up 80% in a year. Huge waste of money that isn’t fixing the problem. New report out from LSE and @crisis-uk.bsky.social reported in @financialtimes.com w @amyborrett.ft.com @jenwilliamsft.bsky.social on.ft.com/43d3q9U

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Peter Foster @pmdfoster.bsky.social · 24/02/2025

Both parties vow to “stop the boats”…I went to Bulgaria’s border with Turkey to find out what they’re actually doing. If include a sniffer dog called Adele who is trained to sniff out rubber dinghies… on.ft.com/3XecDLt UK targets people-smuggling gangs by partnering with Bulgaria

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Peter Foster @pmdfoster.bsky.social · 24/02/2025

Record numbers of Brits looking to get Irish passports, data shows…as Brexit travel, holiday home and super tax risk bit in the UK. Data scoop via ever excellent @amyborrett.ft.com (who is worth following) and @financialtimes.com on.ft.com/4ke851y

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Peter Foster @pmdfoster.bsky.social · 22/02/2025

This is surely right from @frasernelson.bsky.social on the risks that “Trump-humping” poses to Farage et al Is Rishi Sunak English? It used not to be a question www.thetimes.com/article/27c9...

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Peter Foster @pmdfoster.bsky.social · 20/02/2025

Yes. See @hugorifkind.bsky.social on this in his column on Kemi Badenoch’s speech to the ARC culture warriors’ convention. Pay off below.

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