UK lawmakers call reliance on Palantir an ‘unacceptable point of weakness’

Parliamentary committee urges government to reduce dependence on US tech firms, review NHS data contract and delay digital ID rollout until infrastructure improves

A cross-party group of British lawmakers warned on Wednesday that the pro-Israel US technology company Palantir has gained an outsized role in the UK public sector, creating what they described as an "unacceptable point of weakness" in the government's digital infrastructure. In a report on the government's digital transformation agenda, the House of Commons Science, Innovation and Technology Committee said growing dependence on a small number of major technology suppliers — particularly firms such as Palantir, Microsoft and Amazon Web Services — leaves critical public services vulnerable and undermines the country's technological sovereignty. The committee called on the government to exercise a break clause in the National Health Service's Federated Data Platform contract with Palantir in 2027 and either develop an in-house alternative or seek a UK-based provider. The concerns echo a recent dispute over Palantir's expansion in British policing. Earlier this year, London Mayor Sadiq Khan blocked a proposed Metropolitan Police contract with the company worth more than $67 million after officials warned the process risked locking the force into a single supplier. City Hall said the procurement had created legal and reputational risks and failed to adequately demonstrate value for money.