World
Tom Watson takes senior Palantir role as the company faces scrutiny over UK contracts
The former Labour deputy leader and House of Lords member has joined the US tech firm as a full-time senior vice-president. His move comes as Palantir defends its work with the NHS and fights a legal dispute over policing technology in London.
Tom Watson, a former Labour deputy leader and British minister, has joined Palantir as a full-time senior vice-president, according to The Guardian and the BBC. The US technology company, which develops software and AI tools, is trying to expand its public-sector footprint in the UK while facing criticism over several contracts.
According to The Guardian, Watson will work alongside Louis Mosley, Palantir’s head for the UK and Europe. The company is seeking to withstand pressure on Andy Burnham’s administration to cancel a £330m NHS contract. It is also in court against Sadiq Khan over the blocking of a £50m deal to use its technology in Metropolitan Police investigations.
The BBC reported that Palantir holds contracts with the NHS, the Ministry of Defence and 11 police forces in the UK. The broadcaster said the Mayor of London’s office argued that the blocked Metropolitan Police deal did not adequately demonstrate value for money and also raised concerns about the company’s values.
Palantir was co-founded by Peter Thiel and, The Guardian reported, provides AI-powered software to the Israeli military and to US immigration enforcement through ICE, fuelling political and public backlash in Britain. The BBC said some MPs and campaigners have called for stronger scrutiny of how data is used in NHS contracts. Green MP Sian Berry criticised Watson’s appointment and described it as another example of a revolving door between politics and big business lobbying.
Watson had already been serving as a part-time adviser to Palantir since 2024, according to The Guardian. Before that, he advised organisations in the gambling and music industries. The company said his new role would include deepening the social and economic value created through better public services, jobs and skills in Britain.
In remarks reported by the BBC, Watson said the company faces different kinds of criticism and that part of his job would be to answer those concerns, correct false information and work with engineers to ensure privacy, security and respect for sovereignty remain central to its work. The Guardian added that he has taken a leave of absence from the House of Lords and given up his parliamentary pass while working for Palantir in London.
Sources
About this piece. Written by El Notero with AI assistance, from reporting published by the outlet cited above. El Notero did no original reporting on this story.
