Palantir hits back at London mayor over blocked Met Police contract

Palantir has accused the Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, of politicising procurement and compromising public safety after he blocked a proposed £50 million contract with the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS). The two-year deal would have seen MPS use artificial intelligence (AI) to automate intelligence analysis for criminal investigations. However, the mayor's office blocked the contract, citing a clear and serious breach of procurement rules.

Louis Mosley, Palantir's head for the UK and Europe, defended the company's record and questioned why it was being singled out over its values, noting that competitors like Amazon and Microsoft also work with Israel and the US immigration administration. MPS also expressed disappointment at the decision, warning that a lack of new technology would result in forced reductions in officer numbers and impact capital safety.

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