Sadiq Khan praised for blocking Met’s £50m Palantir AI deal

Sadiq Khan has been widely praised after intervening to block a proposed £50 million deal between the Metropolitan Police and controversial US tech giant Palantir.

News emerged this week that the Met had planned to award the contract to Palantir in order to expand the use of artificial intelligence in criminal investigations. The software was intended to automate intelligence analysis and had reportedly already been trialled internally to monitor staff behaviour and identify corrupt or failing officers, a programme Scotland Yard described as successful.

However, according to reports in the Guardian, the London Mayor stepped in following what officials described as “serious concerns” over the procurement process.

The Mayor’s Office for Policing and Crime (MOPAC) said there had been a “clear and serious breach” of procurement rules. Officials concluded that the Met had failed to properly assess alternative suppliers and had not sufficiently demonstrated value for money for taxpayers.

But the concerns appear to have gone beyond procedure alone. MOPAC also raised questions about Palantir’s ethics and corporate values, reflecting earlier comments by Khan that Londoners expect public money to go only to companies that “share the values of our city.”

The intervention triggered a backlash from Met figures, who reportedly described the decision as “disappointing.” Police leaders argued that without investment in new technology the force could face cuts to officer numbers, potentially affecting its ability to keep London safe.

Yet for critics of Palantir, the decision represented an example of democratic scrutiny being applied to the growing influence of powerful technology firms within British public institutions.

Palantir was founded by billionaire tech investor and Donald Trump ally Peter Thiel, whose influence in Britain has expanded in recent years. As previously reported by LFF, Palantir secured multiple UK government contracts during and after the pandemic, including extensive work with the Ministry of Defence. In March 2022 alone, the company received a £10 million MoD contract focused on data integration and management.

Thiel himself has also become a controversial figure. His name appeared in material linked to the “Epstein Files,” including emails in which Jeffrey Epstein discussed Brexit with the billionaire investor. In one exchange, Epstein described Britain’s vote to leave the EU as “just the beginning” of a broader “return to tribalism” and a backlash against globalisation.

Investigations by Byline Times have described what they call a wider “Thiel network” operating in Britain, an ecosystem of organisations and influencers seeking to shape debates around free speech, liberal democracy and academia.

Against that backdrop, Khan’s decision has resonated far beyond City Hall procurement rules. Supporters argue the issue is not simply about technology, but about who controls sensitive public data, how policing power is exercised, and whether democratic institutions should become dependent on opaque foreign tech corporations.

“This is real patriotism,” one social media user wrote. “Looking after our data and our justice system away from foreign-controlled companies.”

Another commented: “Important to ensure public funds support companies that truly reflect our values.”

“Good for Sadiq,” wrote another. “Why should Palantir get their hands on our data? I wouldn’t trust them an inch.”