Palantir accuses Sadiq Khan of 'putting politics over public safety' after £50m Met deal blocked

London Mayor Sir Sadiq Khan has been accused of "putting authorities implicit nationalist safety" aft blocking a £50m declaration betwixt the Metropolitan Police and US tech steadfast Palantir.

Scotland Yard had been successful talks to usage the company's artificial quality to velocity up transgression investigations.

Palantir's UK main enforcement Louis Mosley besides said the determination would "give hostile states and criminals an advantage".

The Met has antecedently warned it volition person to chopped serviceman numbers if the woody does not proceed.

Palantir, founded by tech billionaire Peter Thiel, a salient donor to US President Donald Trump, already holds contracts with different UK nationalist assemblage bodies.

City Hall has raised concerns astir worth for money. It is besides understood Sir Sadiq intends to talk to the authorities astir whether a company's morals should beryllium taken into relationship during procurement.

Mosley told Times Radio: "Not allowing the Metropolitan Police to person this bundle volition springiness hostile states and criminals an advantage. It'll mean they cannot enactment much officers connected the beforehand line.

"I deliberation the politician is putting authorities implicit nationalist safety. He talks astir values, but I deliberation what Londoners worth is not being mugged, not being raped by a serving constabulary officer."

The Business Secretary Peter Kyle, speaking connected the aforesaid programme, said Sir Sadiq needed to "set retired the reasons" for his decision.

He said: "We request to person much British AI companies that tin bash those kinds of things, which is wherefore I've taken equity stakes successful British AI firms and British tech firms, truthful that we tin standard them up much, overmuch faster."

'Clear and superior breach'

On Thursday, the Mayor's Office for Policing and Crime (MOPAC) said Palantir was the lone supplier the Met had earnestly considered for the contract.

MOPAC said the unit had failed to contiguous its procurement strategy for support - calling it a "clear and superior breach" of procedure, contempt the request being "specifically emphasised" to the Met.

City Hall was primitively told the declaration would outgo betwixt £15m and £25m per twelvemonth implicit 2 years. Following negotiations, the Met accrued the fig to £25m truthful the full outgo would beryllium £50m.

MOPAC said it was not satisfied the outgo could beryllium met crossed some years without placing "unacceptable" unit connected different budgets.

The Met has argued it needs caller exertion to stay effectual amid staffing cutbacks.

The mayor's bureau has been approached for comment.