Campaigners Urge Full Disclosure of Mandelson's Palantir Involvement
The fair technology advocacy group Foxglove has spearheaded demands for the Cabinet Office to disclose comprehensive information regarding Peter Mandelson's participation in the negotiation of contracts with the US tech firm Palantir. This call for transparency emerges amidst growing apprehensions that the former Labour peer may have disclosed more sensitive information than previously alleged in his communications with the convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
Substantial Government Contracts Under Scrutiny
Palantir, a data analytics company valued at approximately $300 billion, holds UK government contracts exceeding £500 million. The firm provides military technology to the Israel Defense Forces and has developed AI-powered deportation targeting systems for US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) units under the Trump administration. Global Counsel, a lobbying consultancy co-founded and partially owned by Mandelson, also counts Palantir among its clients.
Campaigners are particularly concerned about Mandelson's actions during his tenure as British ambassador to the United States. In February 2025, the British embassy facilitated a visit by then-Labour leader Keir Starmer to Palantir's Washington DC showroom, shortly after Mandelson assumed his diplomatic post. During this meeting, Mandelson and Starmer were introduced to the company's chief executive, Alex Karp, and shown demonstrations of Palantir's military technology.
Strategic Partnerships and Direct Awards Raise Questions
Seven months following the Washington meeting, Karp signed a strategic partnership agreement with UK Defence Secretary John Healey. Subsequently, in January of the following year, the Ministry of Defence entered into a £241 million three-year contract with Palantir to enhance military artificial intelligence and innovation capabilities.
Conservative MP Alex Burghart, who serves as shadow chancellor of the duchy of Lancaster, has urged Cabinet Secretary Sir Chris Wormald to review Palantir's latest MoD contract in light of emerging allegations about Mandelson's conduct. Burghart highlighted that Starmer's meeting with Palantir did not initially appear in the prime minister's register of visits and was only acknowledged through subsequent disclosures. He further noted that Palantir's MoD contract was granted through direct award without competitive tender, prompting requests to investigate whether similar contracts or undisclosed meetings exist elsewhere.
Broader Concerns Over Information Security and Influence
The transparency demands follow revelations that Mandelson allegedly forwarded highly sensitive information to Jeffrey Epstein during his tenure as business secretary under Gordon Brown in 2009. This information included government responses to the global financial crisis, raising serious questions about information security protocols.
Donald Campbell, director of advocacy at Foxglove, articulated these concerns in a letter to Wormald, 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."
In parliamentary discussions, former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn called for an independent inquiry into what he described as "a gilded friendly web" surrounding Mandelson, suggesting that favours were exchanged and contracts awarded through questionable channels.
Controversial Contracts and Political Connections
Palantir's UK government engagements have generated significant controversy beyond defence matters. The British Medical Association recently indicated that doctors might refuse to utilise Palantir's £340 million NHS federated data platform in certain circumstances, protesting the company's involvement with ICE operations in the United States.
Chi Onwurah, chair of the science and technology committee, emphasised ongoing scrutiny of Palantir's public sector contracts, questioning their procurement processes and the UK's dependence on large US-based technology providers. "We will be publishing our findings shortly," Onwurah stated, "but it is clear that the government should prioritise greater sovereign capability in emerging technologies, and review its dependence on these firms."
Despite resigning as director of Global Counsel in May 2024, Mandelson continues to retain shares in the consultancy according to Companies House records, maintaining financial ties to organisations that lobby for Palantir.
Campbell of Foxglove summarised the imperative for transparency: "We need the full picture on Mandelson's involvement. Anything else risks irreparable damage to public trust." Palantir has declined to comment on the matter, while Mandelson, the Cabinet Office, and the Ministry of Defence have been approached for responses.
