Sadiq Khan Moves to Block Met Police Deal With Palantir

Sadiq Khan could block the Metropolitan Police from signing a huge AI contract with tech giant Palantir, citing concerns about spending public money on “firms who act contrary to London’s values”.

Palantir, which provides software to ICE and the Israeli military, showcased its systems to Scotland Yard intelligence officers last month, hoping to land a contract worth tens of millions of pounds, the Guardian reported. 

While the Met has its own procurement team, the London mayor’s Office for Policing and Crime must sign off any contract worth over £500,000, giving Khan some leverage over the deal. 

A spokesperson for the mayor said: “We can’t comment on live procurement processes. However, as a general point the mayor would have concerns about using public money to support firms who act contrary to London’s values.”

Palantir, which was founded by US billionaire Peter Thiel, currently holds more than £600m of contracts with public bodies in the UK. Those include a £240m deal with the Ministry of Defence, a £330m contract with the NHS, and agreements with various city councils and local police forces. 

The AI giant has also recruited dozens of officials from UK government and public sector bodies, highlighting what’s been dubbed a “revolving door” between the state and Silicon Valley, the Nerve reported this week. 

The 32 hires included figures from the Foreign and Home Office, the House of Lords and the civil service, as well as leaders in AI strategy from the Ministry of Defence and the NHS.

The tech giant came under fire last week after CEO Alex Karp published his 22-point ‘manifesto’ on X, which was condemned by MPs as “a parody of a RoboCop film” and “the ramblings of a supervillain”.

“The question is not whether AI weapons will be built; it is who will build them and for what purpose,” Karp wrote, summarising his own book, The Technological Republic. “Our adversaries will not pause to indulge in theatrical debates about the merits of developing technologies with critical military and national security applications. They will proceed.”

Tom Midlane is a freelance journalist.