A major British regional policing unit has ended its contract with U.S. technology firm Palantir, in a decision that highlights growing debate in the United Kingdom over sovereign control of public-sector data.
The East Midlands Special Operations Unit decided on October 11 not to renew or fund a new contract for Palantir's Foundry software, and required the company to delete all force data and sever system links. The unit ran a two-year trial of the software beginning in October 2024 to investigate serious crimes across Derbyshire, Leicestershire, Lincolnshire, Nottinghamshire and Northamptonshire.
Palantir technology remains in use elsewhere in the British public sector, including the National Health Service, the Ministry of Defence and 11 other police forces, so the decision does not end the company's UK footprint.
The move follows public argument over procurement and political influence, including criticism aimed at former Labour deputy leader Tom Watson, who joined Palantir as a senior vice-president in September and has said public contracts should not be decided by mob rule.
