Thousands call on UK ministers to cut ties with US tech giant Palantir

More than 200,000 people have signed petitions calling on the UK government to sever ties with US tech giant Palantir, citing concerns about the company's involvement with controversial programs and its alleged 'supervillain' manifesto. The petitions, which have garnered 229,000 signatures, demand that the government end all public contracts with Palantir, whose software is used by Donald Trump's ICE immigration enforcement programme and the Israeli military. One of the petitions specifically urges Health Secretary Wes Streeting to cancel Palantir's £330m patient data contract with the NHS.

The growing public outcry against Palantir's involvement in UK public services reflects concerns about the company's values and practices. Critics argue that Palantir's software has been used to facilitate human rights abuses and discriminatory policies, making it an unsuitable partner for UK public institutions. As the petitions continue to gain traction, ministers face mounting pressure to reconsider the government's relationship with Palantir.

The company's role in the NHS, police, military, and councils has sparked a heated debate about the ethics of public-private partnerships and the need for greater transparency in government contracting. The UK government's contracts with Palantir have raised eyebrows among civil rights groups and privacy advocates, who warn that the company's data analytics capabilities could be used to infringe on citizens' rights. With public scrutiny intensifying, ministers must now weigh the benefits of their partnership with Palantir against the growing concerns about the company's activities.