Sadiq Khan Blocks £50 Million Metropolitan Police AI Contract with Palantir
London Mayor Sadiq Khan has faced sharp criticism after blocking a £50 million contract between the Metropolitan Police and US tech firm Palantir. The proposed deal, intended to equip Scotland Yard with artificial intelligence for accelerated criminal investigations, was halted over financial and procedural concerns.
Political Scrutiny and Public Safety Claims
Louis Mosley, Palantir's UK chief executive, asserted that the Mayor's decision amounted to "putting politics over public safety," arguing it would "give hostile states and criminals an advantage." Mosley further claimed that Londoners would prioritise personal safety over the Mayor's stated "values." The Met had previously indicated that failure to secure the software could necessitate a reduction in officer numbers.
City Hall’s Mayor’s Office for Policing and Crime (MOPAC) stated that the Met failed to present its procurement strategy for approval, describing this as a "clear and serious breach" of established procedure. MOPAC also questioned the escalating cost, initially quoted between £15 million and £25 million annually for two years, which subsequently rose to a total of £50 million. Concerns were raised that this sum could not be accommodated without exerting "unacceptable" pressure on other departmental budgets.
Palantir, co-founded by Peter Thiel, a notable donor to Donald Trump, already holds contracts with various UK public sector bodies. Business Secretary Peter Kyle, while not explicitly endorsing the deal, called upon Sir Sadiq to articulate his rationale for the decision. Kyle also advocated for increased investment in domestic AI companies to scale up British tech capabilities.
The Met maintains that new technological solutions are essential to maintain operational effectiveness amidst ongoing staffing cutbacks.
