Sadiq Khan has blocked a £50 million Metropolitan Police contract with US tech firm Palantir, citing serious procurement breaches. The decision has sparked a bitter dispute between the London mayor and Scotland Yard, with the force warning it could lead to officer cuts and reduced public safety.
The Mayor’s Office for Policing and Crime (Mopac) vetoed the deal after finding the Met had failed to obtain approval for its procurement strategy. In a letter to Commissioner Mark Rowley, deputy mayor Kaya Comer-Schwartz described the failure as a “clear and serious breach” of procedural requirements, creating legal and reputational risks.
A Met spokesperson called the decision “disappointing,” stating the force needs modern technology to outpace hostile states and organised criminals. Without it, the Met—facing a £125m funding shortfall and 1,150 job cuts—would have to reduce officer numbers, impacting its ability to keep London safe.
Palantir, co-founded by Trump-supporting billionaire Peter Thiel, has faced backlash over its work with the Israeli military and US immigration enforcement. The deal would have been its largest UK policing contract, following agreements worth £330m with NHS England and £240m with the Ministry of Defence.
Chi Onwurah, chair of the Commons science and technology committee, welcomed the block, praising scrutiny of “vendor lock-in” and reliance on US providers. Khan said the process highlighted risks of companies offering low-cost initial deals to gain a foothold, echoing concerns raised by the government’s chief commercial officer in 2023.
