Former Labour deputy leader Tom Watson has taken a full‑time senior vice‑president role at the controversial American AI firm Palantir, pledging to boost the social and economic impact of its work by improving public services, creating jobs and developing skills across Britain. The move comes as the company battles political pressure over a £330 million NHS contract and a £50 million dispute with the Metropolitan Police, while its annual turnover stands at £427 million.
Watson’s New Mandate at Palantir
Watson, who left the House of Lords in 2019, will operate alongside Palantir’s UK and Europe chief executive Louis Mosley. He will be responsible for “deepening the social and economic value its work creates through better British public services, jobs and skills,” according to the company. In a statement, chief executive Alex Karp 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.” Watson added, “I am terrifically excited by the new role as Palantir’s senior vice‑president and highlighted two of the contracts that are in dispute when I said I wanted to help Palantir speed up NHS diagnosis, treatment and discharge from hospitals and enable ‘our police to crack crimes and root out corruption’.” He has taken a leave of absence from the Lords and surrendered his parliamentary pass while working in London.
Controversial Contracts and Political Pushback
The appointment follows intense scrutiny of Palantir’s dealings with the UK state. Andy Burnham’s government is under pressure to cancel the £330 million NHS agreement, while London Mayor Sadiq Khan has taken the company to court over a £50 million contract to apply its AI to police investigations. Palantir already holds a £240 million contract with the Ministry of Defence and reports annual revenues of £427 million, but its involvement with the Israeli military and the United States’ ICE immigration enforcement has sparked public and political backlash.
The Revolving Door Between Politics and Big Tech
Watson’s recruitment is the latest example of the revolving door linking Westminster with major technology firms. After nearly seven years at Meta, former deputy prime minister Nick Clegg now earns millions, while former prime minister Rishi Sunak took positions with Anthropic and Microsoft, and ex‑chancellor George Osborne began working for OpenAI. Keir Starmer’s AI adviser, Matt Clifford, also joined Anthropic this month, prompting a resignation from a government science and tech research body over conflict‑of‑interest concerns. Tom Brake, chief executive of Unlock Democracy, warned that “the only surefire way to stop tech companies benefiting from privileged information acquired by ministers or senior civil servants is to introduce an enforceable five‑year ban on taking up industry posts.”
Why It Matters
The appointment could accelerate the rollout of AI‑driven solutions in health and policing, potentially improving efficiency and outcomes, but it also risks further eroding public trust in both the NHS and law‑enforcement institutions. The ongoing legal battles and parliamentary pressure highlight a broader tension between rapid tech adoption and the need for transparent, accountable governance. As the revolving door continues to turn, the UK may need robust safeguards to balance innovation with democratic oversight.
