An investigation into Palantir's expanding role in the British state has raised serious concerns about the effectiveness of its technology, the cost of its contracts, and the influence of its political lobbying. The US defence and surveillance tech firm, often called the world's 'scariest company', holds a swathe of UK public contracts, most notably a £330 million deal with the NHS for its Federated Data Platform (FDP).
Palantir's FDP Underperforms in NHS
According to internal usage data obtained under the Freedom of Information Act, dozens of NHS trusts listed as 'live' on the FDP have not logged into a single FDP app in the past year. The Cancer 360 tool, hailed by Prime Minister Keir Starmer as 'groundbreaking new technology' that would 'slash treatment delays', was used by only six out of about 200 trusts in its first nine months. Clinicians report that the FDP is slower and less effective than existing systems, with some basic queries taking five minutes or more. Orthopaedic surgeon Kanthan Theivendran stopped using Palantir's waiting-list app because he couldn't edit data, calling it 'a waste of time'.
Vendor Lock-In and National Security Risks
The true cost of the FDP exceeds £330 million, with individual trusts receiving up to £3 million each for implementation and consultancy giant KPMG awarded an £8.5 million contract to promote the platform. Palantir's Foundry software is proprietary, meaning NHS data analysts risk losing all their work if they lose access. This 'vendor lock-in' raises national security concerns, given Palantir's contracts with US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), the Israel Defense Forces, and its role in AI-driven warfare. The Ministry of Defence has admitted it is becoming 'locked in' to Palantir's software, and two select committees have called for a break clause when the FDP comes up for renewal next year.
Political Lobbying and Paid Access
Palantir's expansion into the British state was facilitated by paid-for political access and weak regulations. In 2018, Palantir hired Peter Mandelson's lobbying firm Global Counsel to position it as a 'respectable partner' to the British government. Global Counsel organised dinners with policymakers but did not have to declare Palantir as a client on official disclosures, as policy briefings are not classified as paid advocacy. A former employee noted, 'You really have to fuck up to have to register somebody.' Palantir paid a monthly retainer of over £30,000, and the account was codenamed 'Project Onion'. When Starmer visited Washington DC with Mandelson last year, he met Palantir CEO Alex Karp and UK boss Louis Mosley, though No 10 has refused to disclose discussion details.
Mixed Results and Calls for Action
While some government bodies have saved money after ditching Palantir—the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government reported millions in annual savings after switching to an in-house system—other contracts continue to grow. The Ministry of Defence signed a strategic partnership worth up to £750 million over five years. The UK Statistics Authority is investigating NHS England's use of data in promoting Palantir's software. With a break clause available next year, the investigation concludes that the government should use it, as Palantir is failing even its supporters' test: 'what matters is what works.'
