In 1989, she was one of the founder members of Cabin Crew '89, an independent trade union, and served as the Deputy General Secretary.

In August 1995, she was selected for the marginal seat of Peterborough (where sitting Conservative MP Brian Mawhinney was moving to an adjacent constituency), and finished second behind Labour in the general election of 1997.

Her political responsibilities were as the Conservative Spokesman on Transport and Tourism (specialising in the Aviation Industry) Following the 9/11 attacks, she was the Rapporteur on the regulation which introduced minimum standards of security in airports across Europe.

A Member of the Africa Caribbean Pacific Joint Parliamentary Assembly (ACP), she was the Parliament Spokesman on Zimbabwe.

[7] She was again appointed as the Transport Spokesman, and also served as a vice president of the Sky & Space and Animal Welfare Parliamentary Intergroups and as a member of the EU-US Delegation.

She worked as a consultant for Airbus, before becoming the head of European Affairs for ASD (Aerospace Space & Defence Industries of Europe) based in Brussels, until returning as an MEP in 2009.

[10] Foster was appointed Dame Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (DBE) in the 2019 Birthday Honours.

[11] In March 2024, Foster issued a public apology and paid damages to Melika Gorgianeh, a University Challenge contestant.

Foster tweeted that the octopus soft toy which Gorgianeh's team used as a mascot, was chosen as an antisemitic symbol.