Palantir accused London Mayor Sadiq Khan of prioritising politics over public safety after Khan blocked a £50m contract with the Metropolitan Police. The planned deal would have used Palantir’s AI to automate parts of criminal investigations. Palantir’s UK and Europe head Louis Mosley said Khan politicised procurement and warned that such actions could compromise public safety. The mayor’s office said the decision followed a serious breach of procurement rules. The dispute also intensified tensions within Labour regarding involvement with the US tech company. The Met said the rejection was disappointing and could force cuts to officer numbers without new technology. The controversy connects to Palantir’s ties to the Israeli military and US immigration enforcement, and to prior public disputes over its role in Gaza.
"What Londoners value is not being mugged, not being raped by a serving police officer. The Met had planned to hire Palantir, which was co-founded by the Trump-supporting tech billionaire Peter Thiel, to automate aspects of investigations. But the mayor's office, which oversees large Scotland Yard contracts, said there had been a clear and serious breach of procurement rules. Mosley said: What Londoners value is not being mugged, not being raped by a serving police officer. The focus should be public safety, not procurement politics."
"Mosley accused Khan of politicising procurement after he rejected a two-year deal for Scotland Yard to use AI to process intelligence in criminal investigations. The mayor's office said there had been a clear and serious breach of procurement rules. Scotland Yard said Khan's move was disappointing, adding that without new technology it would have to cut officer numbers which would in turn affect the force's ability to keep London safe. Khan has previously said Londoners only wanted to see public money being paid to companies that share the values of our city."
"Palantir also works for the Israeli military and the Trump administration in its immigration crackdown. Khan has previously said Londoners only wanted to see public money being paid to companies that share the values of our city. Last year, when the company's chief executive, Alex Karp, was challenged that Palantir kills Palestinians in Gaza, he said: Mostly terrorists, that's true. Khan's stance puts him at odds with the UK government which has a 330m NHS England deal with Palantir and a 240m deal with the Ministry of Defence."
"His response drew an angry response from the Labour MP Stella Creasy, who said Mosley should be ashamed of himself. On Friday, Mosley told Times Radio: What Londoners value is not being mugged, not being raped by a serving police officer and that's really what the focus here should be If we are going to politicise procurement in that way then we are going to compromise public safety. The rejection has also led to tensions inside Labour over its involvement with the US tech company."
Read at www.theguardian.com
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