The UK government must end their contract with Palantir due to concerns over transparency and procurement ethics. Palantir’s controversial associations and human rights record including its link to profiting from the GAZA genocide are also highly concerning. Not forgetting the risks to national sovereignty and data security, and questions about the practical value of the technology itself.

Human Rights Concerns and Company Associations

Palantir’s work with controversial government agencies around the world makes it an unsuitable partner for UK public services.

Complicity in Alleged Human Rights Abuses: Palantir has been accused of aiding human rights violations. The Green Party and campaign groups point to its provision of technology to the Israeli military, which the UN special rapporteur has identified as “profiting from genocide” in Gaza . Additionally, the company is building an “Immigration Lifestyle Operating System” (“ImmigrationOS”) for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to help track and target individuals for deportation .

Strategic Partnership with Israel: In January 2024, Palantir announced a new strategic partnership with the Israeli defense ministry to “help the country’s war effort,” holding a board meeting in Tel Aviv “in solidarity” . While Palantir has denied being linked to specific AI targeting systems like “Lavender” or “Gospel,” it has openly stated it “supports Israeli security missions” .

Operational Use in Gaza and Lebanon: A new biography of Palantir CEO Alex Karp, written by New York Times journalist Michael Steinberger, reveals that Palantir’s software was “used by the Israeli military in several raids in Gaza.” It also claims the technology was deployed during military operations in Lebanon in 2024, including the “pager attacks” that targeted Hezbollah which also resulted in the killing of many innocent civilians. Declassified UK also reported on Palantir’s UK chief refusing to answer whether its technology, now sold to the British military, had been battle-tested in Gaza .

Alleged Role in “Where’s Daddy?” System: The UN’s Francesca Albanese has described a system called “Where’s Daddy?”—an automated targeting program designed to alert the military when a marked individual enters their family home. She stressed that this system relies on data supplied by Western tech companies, making their involvement central to Israel’s war strategy.

Ties to the Trump Administration: Palantir was co-founded by billionaire Peter Thiel, a major donor and close ally of Donald Trump . As the company expands its role in UK defence and health, MPs have raised concerns about the implications of being dependent on a firm so closely linked to an unpredictable U.S. administration.

Palantir’s own leadership have made statements that critics and the UN report cite as evidence of complicity.

“Mostly Terrorists”: In April 2025, at the “Hill & Valley Forum,” Palantir’s CEO Alex Karp was confronted by a protester who said the company’s AI technology killed Palestinians. He responded, “Mostly terrorists, that’s true” . The UN’s Albanese report cites this incident as “indicative of executive-level knowledge and purpose vis-à-vis the unlawful use of force by Israel, and failure to prevent such acts or withdraw involvement” .

“We are famous in Israel”: In December 2023, Karp told Fox Business, “We are famous in Israel” regarding the company’s work there.

Lack of Transparency and Procurement Ethics

A central argument is that the government’s deals with Palantir have been shrouded in secrecy, raising questions about whether they represent value for money and were secured through proper channels.

Contracts Without Competition: In December 2025, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) signed a three-year contract worth £240 million with Palantir. This contract was awarded as a direct award without a competitive tender process, which has drawn significant criticism from MPs who question how the decision was made and who was involved.

Blocked Scrutiny: The government has repeatedly blocked attempts by MPs, campaigners, and journalists to examine the details of Palantir’s deals. Requests for information about meetings between company leadership and the Prime Minister have been refused. The information commissioner is currently investigating the government’s refusal to release documents related to Palantir’s NHS contract and Peter Mandelson’s role.

The “Mandelson Factor”: The involvement of Peter Mandelson, a former senior minister and now UK ambassador to the US. He has been mentioned in the released Epstein files and his role in facilitating access to the UK government have led to calls for an independent inquiry into whether he used his position for personal gain or shared privileged information .

GB National Sovereignty and Data Security

The deep integration of a single US-based company into the UK’s critical national infrastructure has sparked warnings about dependency and the potential for foreign government access to sensitive data.

The “Revolving Door”: An investigation by Open Democracy revealed that Palantir hired four former high-level MoD officials in 2025. This included the director of industrial strategy, shortly before and after winning major contracts. This pattern has raised alarms about a potential conflict of interest and the erosion of independent accountability within the defence establishment.

Risk of US Government Access: Other European nations have raised red flags about data sovereignty. Denmark is reportedly seeking to replace Palantir due to fears that sensitive data processed by the company could be accessible to the US government and the CIA, which has been an investor in Palantir. A Swiss army report similarly warned of this risk . MP Martin Wrigley has warned that the UK’s critical systems could have a “single point of failure” under the control of a firm tied to the Trump administration, questioning what would happen if the US demanded access or pulled the plug.

Practical Value and Public Trust

Finally, there are questions about whether the Palantir technology is actually delivering on its promises, particularly within the NHS.Poor Uptake in the NHS: Despite a £330 million, seven-year contract to build the NHS Federated Data Platform (FDP), fewer than a quarter of England’s 215 hospital trusts were actively using it by the end of 2024. Some trusts have questioned its functionality and whether it offers anything they cannot already access.

Opposition from Medical Professionals: The British Medical Association (BMA) has passed a formal resolution calling for the Palantir contract to be cancelled. They warned that the company’s track record “threatens to undermine public trust in NHS data systems” . Internal government briefings reportedly warned Health Secretary Wes Streeting that Palantir’s reputation was hindering the platform’s rollout and would “make it harder to go further”.