Campaigners are demanding full transparency over Peter Mandelson’s ties to the US technology firm Palantir, amid concerns he may have leaked sensitive information beyond what has been alleged in his emails to Jeffrey Epstein. Foxglove, a fair tech campaign group, has urged the Cabinet Office to release details of any involvement by Mandelson in the negotiation of Palantir’s UK government contracts, which are worth more than £500m.
Mandelson, who co-founded and part-owns the lobbying company Global Counsel, which also works for Palantir, was appointed UK ambassador to the US in 2025. In February 2025, the British embassy arranged for Prime Minister Keir Starmer to visit Palantir’s showroom in Washington DC, where they met chief executive Alex Karp and were shown military technology. The meeting did not appear in the prime minister’s register of visits and was only acknowledged in later disclosures.
Conservative MP Alex Burghart has called on Cabinet Secretary Sir Chris Wormald to review Palantir’s latest Ministry of Defence (MoD) contract, a £241m three-year deal signed in January 2025 to “boost military AI and innovation”. Burghart noted that the contract was awarded directly without competition, and asked for checks on other undisclosed meetings or contracts.
Foxglove’s director of advocacy, Donald Campbell, wrote to Wormald on Wednesday, stating: “In light of Lord Mandelson now facing investigation for allegedly leaking ‘sensitive information’ to Jeffrey Epstein, we believe it is important to examine whether similar behaviour took place elsewhere.” Former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn called for an independent inquiry, describing “a gilded friendly web” around Mandelson involving favours and contract awards.
Palantir, a $300bn company that provides military technology to Israel and AI-powered deportation targeting for US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), has faced controversy over its UK contracts. The British Medical Association said doctors could refuse to use Palantir’s £340m NHS federated data platform in protest over its role in facilitating ICE activity. Green party leader Zack Polanski questioned whether the government’s decision to trust Palantir with sensitive health data was based on national interest or a “dodgy backroom deal”.
Chi Onwurah, chair of the science and technology committee, said the committee would publish findings on Palantir’s public sector contracts, adding that the government should prioritise greater sovereignty over dependence on large US-based providers.
