British politicians warn that Palantir contracts have become an ‘unacceptable vulnerability’

Bipartisan group Politicians in the UK are sounding the alarm about the country partnership With a data analysis company Palantir.

In a report published on Tuesday, the 11 members of Parliament’s Science, Innovation and Technology Committee warned that the country’s increasing reliance on Palantir’s technology “represents an unacceptable weakness” that could give the company overwhelming negotiating power in future negotiations.

“We know that as vendors are restricted, over time we will get more expensive and worse services,” Ms. Chi Onwuora, chairwoman of the committee and member of parliament, told WIRED. “It is a trap to be avoided.”

Onwurah believes that in a worst-case scenario, an established supplier could threaten a denial of service as a way to impose its will. “This could bring public services and our economy to a halt,” she says. “This is a huge risk.”

Although the committee says its objections to Palantir are not ideologically motivated, the report also describes a “clear mismatch with UK values.” This refers to politically charged comments made by Palantir co-founder Peter Thiel, who in 2023 described the British public’s affection for the NHS as “Stockholm syndrome“- and A 22 point statement Based on a recent book by CEO Alex Karp, which calls for absolute loyalty to the United States and its interests.

“We have a major vendor who says he will use the technology according to his political mission,” says Onwurah. “If what the UK is trying to do in our NHS or our defense is not in line with Palantir’s political objectives, then clearly we cannot rely on them as a supplier.”

To reduce the risks, the committee recommended that the National Health Service, one of Palantir’s primary partners in the United Kingdom, activate a clause in its contract next February that would end the relationship early.

The UK government began using Palantir’s technology in 2020 while rushing to do so Mapping the spread of COVID-19 and routing medical equipment All over the country. Since then, Palantir and its partners have won contracts worth a combined $750 million with Palantir NHS and Ministry of Defenseamong other things. The company has touted its ability to enable “fast-paced innovation and problem solving” in the UK public sector.

The report shows similar dependencies on US cloud providers, Microsoft and Amazon Web Services, and Fujitsu, the Japanese company at the heart of the world. Horizon Post Office Scandal. “But Palantir concerns us most,” the committee wrote.

Palantir did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The relationship has attracted increased scrutiny recently over the company’s work with US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), as well as the US and Israeli militaries. The statement based on Karp’s book fueled concerns about company policy.

“It’s not a company that should be close to British public services,” says Donald Campbell, advocacy director at Foxglove, a non-profit that has previously campaigned for the NHS to back out of its contract with Palantir. “Do you want to give a company of this kind – with these publicly expressed views and ideologies – a central role in the UK state, from which it may become difficult to take them out?”

Appearing before the committee In July of last yearLouis Mosley, who heads Palantir’s European business, distanced the company from Thiel’s comments about the NHS. He said Palantir’s goal is to “support democratically elected governments in implementing the mandate they were elected to deliver.” “We represent a diverse range of political views and do not take political positions as a company.”