Protest called as Palantir hires former Labour deputy leader Lord Watson

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The Labour peer and PM Andy Burnham’s former ministerial colleague will work alongside Palantir’s UK and Europe chief executive, Louis Mosley, grandson of fascist leader Oswald.

Palantir was co-founded by the Trump-supporting billionaire Peter Thiel and provides AI-powered software to the Israeli military and the White House’s Ice immigration crackdown.

Mr Burnham’s government faces pressure to axe Palantir’s £330 million NHS contract. London Mayor Sadiq Khan has blocked a £50m contract to use its AI in Metropolitan Police investigations. Palantir also has a £240m contract with the Ministry of Defence. Questions have been raised about the role of senior figures in these departments who secured jobs at Palantir after the contracts were signed.

Mr Watson, who was a defence minister and a minister for digital engagement in Gordon Brown’s government, has been an adviser to the gambling and music industries and, since 2024, part-time adviser to Palantir.

Palestine Solidarity Campaign campaigns officer Lewis Backon said: “Hiring Tom Watson is a desperate attempt by Palantir to try to stop the growing calls for the company to be removed from the British state.

“Palantir is providing technology essential to Israel’s genocide in the Gaza Strip, and other human rights abuses across the globe. It has no place in the government or our NHS.

“We call on everyone to join the People vs Palantir day of action on October 1, which is demanding the government activate the break clause to get Palantir out of our NHS.”

Keep Our NHS Public co-chair Dr Tony O’Sullivan said: “Palantir is hoovering up the more unscrupulous individuals to help them in their quest to impose control on increasing numbers of populations.”

A spokesman for Momentum said: “The revolving door between Westminster and business keeps on spinning.”

Green MP Sian Berry said that it is a “disgrace” that Lord Watson “is still a member of the House of Lords and holds the Labour whip,” adding: “This is yet another example of the corrosive revolving door between politics and big business lobbying that has no place in public life.”

Communist Party general secretary Alex Gordon said: “After being rewarded with a peerage for sabotaging Jeremy Corbyn’s leadership of the Labour party, his appointment today as UK senior vice president for Palantir for an undisclosed salary is symbolic of the Palentir’s willingness to buy influence in Andy Burnham’s government.”

A co-ordinator for the medConfidential campaign group quoted Lord Watson as saying in 2019: “We have a democracy problem exacerbated by technology.”