Palantir challenges UK police contract blocked over values

U.S. data‑analytics firm Palantir is contesting a decision by London’s mayoral office to block a two‑year, £50 million contract with the Metropolitan Police. The contract would have allowed the force to use Palantir’s artificial‑intelligence tools for task automation and evidence analysis. Mayor Sadiq Khan’s office rejected the deal, citing a failure to follow open‑competition rules and concerns that Palantir’s “values and ethics” do not align with London’s. Palantir argues the refusal unlawfully places politics above public safety and that the technology is needed to cut costs and protect frontline services.

The company has taken the matter to the High Court, where a trial is scheduled for January. Separately, the UK government is reviewing a £330 million National Health Service contract with Palantir, and a parliamentary committee recently warned that the firm’s values mismatch UK standards, recommending a break‑clause. Palantir’s UK chief, Louis Mosley, condemned the recommendation as “irresponsible.”