World News
London Mayor Sadiq Khan agrees to search of communications in Palantir lawsuit
The agreement follows a legal challenge by the US tech firm over the cancellation of a £50m Metropolitan police AI contract.
The short version
- London Mayor Sadiq Khan and over a dozen officials have agreed to allow searches of their texts, emails, and chat messages for a High Court case brought by Palantir.
- Palantir sued the Mayor's Office for Policing and Crime (Mopac) after Khan blocked a proposed £50 million Metropolitan Police contract with the tech company.
- Mopac defended the cancellation by citing procurement rule violations, while Palantir accused the mayor of prioritizing politics over public safety.
- The scope and date range of the disclosures remain to be finalized ahead of a trial expected next year.
Key facts
- London Mayor Sadiq Khan consented to have his emails, texts, and messaging apps searched as part of Palantir's High Court lawsuit against his office.[The Guardian]
- The dispute stems from Khan blocking a proposed £50 million, two-year deal between Palantir and the Metropolitan Police for criminal investigation AI tools.[The Guardian]
- The Mayor's Office for Policing and Crime stated it halted the contract due to a procurement breach caused by considering only Palantir as a supplier.[The Guardian]
- Palantir alleged that Khan put politics above public safety before filing legal action.[The Guardian]
- Khan's former communications director Sarah Brown, alongside more than a dozen other Greater London Authority and Mopac officials, was also named as a custodian for document disclosure.[The Guardian]
What remains uncertain
- The specific date range for the electronic communication searches has not yet been set by the court.[The Guardian]
- It remains unresolved whether Palantir will be required to disclose internal company documents requested by Mopac.[The Guardian]
Sources
- Sadiq Khan agrees to have his texts and emails searched in Palantir legal battleThe Guardian - World