Sadiq Khan Backtracks on Blocking Palantir From Met Contract

London Mayor Sadiq Khan has granted Palantir a 12-month pilot project with the Metropolitan Police, just weeks after he blocked a £50 million deal between the two. Citing procurement rules, Khan had stopped the deal amid loud opposition to the tech firm's role in the Gaza genocide and its work with deportation agency ICE in the US. Khan's spokesperson said that Londoners only want to see public money paid to companies that share the values of the city.

But the mayor appears to have backtracked, at least temporarily. This week it emerged he has granted Palantir a £2 million contract to last at least 12 months while the force runs a procurement process to find a longer-term supplier. The news broke just days after the company launched a high court challenge against Khan's decision to block the contract, which would see Palantir technology used to automate criminal investigations analysis.

A spokesperson for Khan said the deputy mayor has required the Met to run a new procurement process open to a wide range of potential suppliers to choose the long-term provider of this capability. Recognizing the Met's current needs, the Met may extend the current pilot to retain existing capability while this procurement takes place. This marks a significant shift from Khan's earlier stance.

Palantir holds contracts worth at least £670 million across government institutions in the UK, including the NHS, despite widespread concerns about its ethics record. Critics argue that Palantir's surveillance technologies contribute to human rights abuses and that the company lacks transparency.

This development does not necessarily mean Khan has fully reversed his position; it appears to be a temporary compromise. The outcome of the high court case and the new procurement process will determine the future of London's relationship with technology companies. Khan's decision reflects an attempt to balance ethical concerns with practical policing needs.