London Mayor blocks Met Police £50m AI deal with Palantir

The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, has blocked a £50 million contract between the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) and US technology firm Palantir. The deal would have seen the force utilise artificial intelligence (AI) to automate intelligence analysis in criminal investigations. However, the Mayor's Office for Policing and Crime (Mopac) vetoed the arrangement, citing a clear and serious breach of procurement rules, noting that Scotland Yard failed to obtain approval for its strategy and only seriously considered Palantir.

Deputy Mayor Kaya Comer-Schwartz warned the process created legal and reputational risks. The decision has sparked a row with Scotland Yard, which expressed disappointment and argued that, without this technology, already used by the NHS and the Ministry of Defence (MoD), it would be forced to reduce officer numbers, impacting London's safety. The Met is currently facing a £125 million funding shortfall and 1,150 job cuts.

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