London Mayor Blocks £50m Police AI Contract with Palantir

London Mayor Sadiq Khan has blocked a £50 million contract between the Metropolitan Police and Palantir for AI tools to analyze criminal intelligence. The mayor’s office cited a “clear and serious breach” of procurement rules, stating that police had considered only one supplier. Officials said the process created legal and reputation risks for both the force and City Hall.

The contract would have been Palantir’s largest in British policing. Police had previously used the company’s software on a smaller pilot project to detect corrupt officers. A Met spokesperson said the decision prevents use of technology already available to the Ministry of Defence, the NHS, and other police forces.

The force faces a £125 million funding shortfall and plans to cut 1,150 positions.

A Palantir spokesperson said the software has helped identify domestic violence risks and dismantle criminal gangs in other English forces. The company denied it gains improper access to police or NHS data. The Met stated that without new technology it would have to reduce officer numbers further, affecting its ability to keep London safe.

Khan has previously said public money should go only to companies that share London’s values. He warned that low-cost initial deals can lead to long-term dependence on a single provider. Chi Onwurah, chair of the Commons science and technology committee, welcomed the review of vendor lock-in.

Martin Wrigley, a Liberal Democrat member of the same committee, said awarding another contract without competition would have been a disgrace. >"The decision by Mopac is disappointing. " — Met spokesperson, May 2026 (The Guardian) >"Palantir doesn’t have access to that data.