The Guardian Business · Экономика · 1 ч назад
Former Labour deputy leader Tom Watson joins Palantir
Peer takes full-time position at the controversial company as it fends off pressure from both Andy Burnham’s government and Sadiq Khan Another former government minister has been hired by a controversial US AI company, this time Palantir, which has appointed Andy Burnham’s former ministerial colleague Tom Watson. The Labour peer and former deputy leader will operate alongside Palantir’s UK and Europe chief executive,…
Подробности
Part of Watson’s role at Palantir will be to ‘deepen the social and economic value its work creates through better British public services, jobs and skills’. Photograph: Dominic Lipinski/PA View image in fullscreen Part of Watson’s role at Palantir will be to ‘deepen the social and economic value its work creates through better British public services, jobs and skills’. Photograph: Dominic Lipinski/PA Tom Watson Former Labour deputy leader Tom Watson joins Palantir Peer takes full-time position at the controversial company as it fends off pressure from both Andy Burnham’s government and Sadiq Khan
Prefer the Guardian on Google Another former government minister has been hired by a controversial US AI company, this time Palantir, which has appointed Andy Burnham’s former ministerial colleague Tom Watson .
The Labour peer and former deputy leader will operate alongside Palantir’s UK and Europe chief executive, Louis Mosley, as the company attempts to fend off pressure on Burnham’s government to axe its £330m NHS contract . It is also fighting Sadiq Khan in court over the Labour London mayor’s block on a £50m contract to use its AI in Metropolitan police investigations . Palantir also wants to win more public sector work in the UK, where it already has an annual turnover of £427m.
The company 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 , leading to a public and political backlash against its deepening involvement in British public services. Alex Karp, its chief executive, said: “This is just the latest chapter of Tom’s forty-year fight for better public services. We are fortunate to have him guide us as we help the British government to deliver for the British public.”
Since stepping down from parliament in 2019, Watson has been an adviser to the gambling and music industries and, since 2024, he has been a part-time adviser to Palantir, including accompanying Mosley at Labour party conferences. He was a defence minister and a minister for digital engagement in Gordon Brown’s government. Palantir has a £240m contract with the Ministry of Defence.