Stephen Saunders warns that the UK government has surrendered citizens' data rights to US surveillance giant Palantir Technologies, which has been awarded contracts with the NHS and Ministry of Defence. Saunders argues that Palantir's software amplifies state power through militarised analytics and opaque algorithms, treating sensitive public information as fuel for systems designed to concentrate control.
Saunders highlights that Palantir's expansion within the British establishment was facilitated by connections revealed in the Jeffrey Epstein files. Epstein associate Peter Thiel co-founded Palantir, while Epstein's friend Peter Mandelson introduced the company to Keir Starmer in Washington, leading to a £330m NHS contract and a £240m Ministry of Defence deal awarded without competitive tender.
Jan Savage draws a parallel with the government's concern over US-owned payment systems, questioning why it is not equally worried about dependence on tech giants with close ties to the US administration. She suggests that the UK's heavy reliance on such companies poses a similar risk to sovereignty.
