Palantir and London Mayor Sadiq Khan End Legal Dispute Over Met Police Contract

Legal Battle Concludes

Palantir and the Mayor's Office for Policing and Crime (Mopac), led by Sadiq Khan, have ended their legal dispute. Both parties withdrew allegations against each other, canceling a High Court trial scheduled for January. The conflict centered on a contract for the Metropolitan Police to use Palantir's AI technology.

Contract Blockage and Allegations

Palantir sued Mopac in June after Khan's office blocked a two-year, £50m deal for Scotland Yard to use Palantir's Unified Operational Analytics (UOA) system for processing intelligence in criminal investigations. Khan's office cited a "clear and serious breach" of procurement rules. Palantir's UK and Europe head, Louis Mosley, accused Khan of politicizing procurement, stating it put "politics above public safety."

Khan had previously indicated concerns about public money going to companies that "share the values of our city," referencing Palantir's work with the Israeli military and the Trump administration. Palantir was concerned that objections to its leadership's values could hinder its ability to secure public contracts in the UK.

Joint Statement and Clarification

In a joint statement, Palantir and Mopac clarified that Mopac's May decision to block the contract "was not based on Palantir's values or ethics or any wider reporting about the company." Mopac acknowledged that media reporting of a spokesperson's statement might have incorrectly suggested that the company's values influenced the decision.

Mopac stated its consideration was based on its statutory role, examining spend proposals against legal tests, procurement guidance, governance, affordability, and ensuring value for money for Londoners.

Context and Broader Implications

The agreement to drop the claims follows Palantir's hiring of former Labour party deputy leader Tom Watson as a full-time lobbyist a month prior. This legal resolution occurs as Palantir also faces efforts to retain its £330m NHS medical data contract, which has drawn public and parliamentary scrutiny.