Calls for UK to Halt Contracts with Controversial Tech Firm Over Lack of Transparency
Opposition politicians are urging the UK government to terminate public contracts with US-based tech firm Palantir, citing concerns over lack of transparency in dealings with Peter Mandelson. The company has secured over £500m worth of contracts since 2023, including a lucrative deal with the Ministry of Defence (MoD) and a significant sum for the National Health Service (NHS).
Emails released by the US Department of Justice have revealed that Mandelson sought help from Jeffrey Epstein to find "rich individuals" as clients while employed as ambassador to the US. The government has blocked several attempts by MPs and campaigners to scrutinise Palantir's deals, including requests for information about meetings between Keir Starmer and Boris Johnson with Palantir's leadership.
Palantir's involvement in British policing is now expanding its AI-powered technology, raising concerns over the company's suitability as a supplier to critical national infrastructure. Martin Wrigley MP has called for a parliamentary debate on "the suitability of Palantir" as a supplier, stating that he would halt any further contracts with Palantir until a clear picture of how existing deals came about is available.
The Green party leader, Zack Polanski, has urged the health secretary to break a £330m contract between Palantir and the NHS, citing concerns over the company's effectiveness. The British Medical Association has also raised doubts about the deal, with some NHS trusts questioning its value for money.
A spokesperson for Palantir claims that its software is helping deliver better public services in the UK, including improving NHS operations and supporting the police in tackling domestic violence. However, the government has consistently refused to provide information on Palantir's dealings, citing concerns over national security and confidentiality.
The lack of transparency surrounding these deals has led to widespread criticism from MPs and campaigners. Wrigley stated that "the lack of transparency in the deals with Palantir is concerning", emphasizing the need for full disclosure before any further back-door deals are struck.
The government's refusal to release information on Palantir's dealings has sparked an investigation by the Information Commissioner, who will examine whether the Foreign Office and Department of Health and Social Care were correct to withhold documents.
Opposition politicians are urging the UK government to terminate public contracts with US-based tech firm Palantir, citing concerns over lack of transparency in dealings with Peter Mandelson. The company has secured over £500m worth of contracts since 2023, including a lucrative deal with the Ministry of Defence (MoD) and a significant sum for the National Health Service (NHS).
Emails released by the US Department of Justice have revealed that Mandelson sought help from Jeffrey Epstein to find "rich individuals" as clients while employed as ambassador to the US. The government has blocked several attempts by MPs and campaigners to scrutinise Palantir's deals, including requests for information about meetings between Keir Starmer and Boris Johnson with Palantir's leadership.
Palantir's involvement in British policing is now expanding its AI-powered technology, raising concerns over the company's suitability as a supplier to critical national infrastructure. Martin Wrigley MP has called for a parliamentary debate on "the suitability of Palantir" as a supplier, stating that he would halt any further contracts with Palantir until a clear picture of how existing deals came about is available.
The Green party leader, Zack Polanski, has urged the health secretary to break a £330m contract between Palantir and the NHS, citing concerns over the company's effectiveness. The British Medical Association has also raised doubts about the deal, with some NHS trusts questioning its value for money.
A spokesperson for Palantir claims that its software is helping deliver better public services in the UK, including improving NHS operations and supporting the police in tackling domestic violence. However, the government has consistently refused to provide information on Palantir's dealings, citing concerns over national security and confidentiality.
The lack of transparency surrounding these deals has led to widespread criticism from MPs and campaigners. Wrigley stated that "the lack of transparency in the deals with Palantir is concerning", emphasizing the need for full disclosure before any further back-door deals are struck.
The government's refusal to release information on Palantir's dealings has sparked an investigation by the Information Commissioner, who will examine whether the Foreign Office and Department of Health and Social Care were correct to withhold documents.
. I mean, Peter Mandelson getting his hands dirty with Jeffrey Epstein? That's just not right, you know? And now the government is shielding all these contracts and deals from scrutiny? It's like they're trying to hide something 
. I remember when we had some issues with privateers back in the day, it was always about keeping things under wraps. But this time, it feels like a total abuse of power 
. The Green party is on the right track, asking for transparency and accountability. We need to know what's going on behind closed doors, especially when it comes to our public services 
. It's like they say, "what's good for Palantir isn't always good for the people" 
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. The lack of transparency is a major red flag, especially given Peter Mandelson's shady past connections 
. We need to know how our tax pounds are being spent on this tech firm, and what kind of safeguards are in place to prevent any potential wrongdoing 
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, it's puzzling that they'd sign a £330m contract without proper scrutiny 
. And let's not forget about the police and domestic violence concerns 
– we need more information on how Palantir's technology is being used in these critical areas 
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, especially regarding national security and confidentiality claims 
. The Information Commissioner's investigation should be a wake-up call to ensure that transparency and openness prevail 
.
they're literally getting away with some sketchy stuff over here! so like peter mandelson was trying to get rich off epstein's connections while he was ambassador and now he's working with the uk government behind closed doors? 
and they're not even being transparent about it?! the government is supposed to be our reps, not some shady corporate deal maker 
. It's like they say: if something seems too good (or bad) to be true, it probably is 
. We need to make sure our elected officials are keeping an eye on these kinds of deals and holding them accountable for transparency. Otherwise, we risk losing trust in the very systems that are supposed to serve us 
.
And the fact that they're saying national security and confidentiality is more important than that just doesn't sit right with me.
I mean, £500m is a pretty penny for a company that's got some pretty shady history going on. And let's be real, who wants their sensitive info being held by someone who was buddies with Jeffrey Epstein? 
It's like the government is trying to sweep all this under the rug and we're just supposed to trust them... newsflash: they've been caught red-handed! 
It's time for some serious scrutiny of these deals and maybe, just maybe, some accountability from the government. 
My friend who works in tech said it sounds sketchy to him too... we should be able to trust the companies we give our money to!
how can we trust the tech behind the UK's public services when the government is refusing to come clean on how it was awarded? 
maybe it's time for the gov to take a step back and re-evaluate who they're doing business with 