News Summary

Palantir Technologies is preparing to sue London Mayor Sadiq Khan after he blocked a £50 million contract with the Metropolitan Police. The contract would have involved Palantir providing AI technology for criminal investigations. Khan cited concerns over the Met’s procurement process and Palantir’s alignment with London’s values as reasons for the decision. Palantir’s lawyers have sent a pre-action letter to the Mayor’s Office for Policing and Crime, indicating their intention to challenge the decision in court. The Mayor’s office stated that the decision was based on procurement strategy and value for money concerns, not political considerations. The move has sparked debate about the ethics of public sector contracts with firms like Palantir, which has been criticized for its ideological stances and connections with controversial political figures.