London Mayor Blocks Palantir

London Mayor Sadiq Khan blocked a £50 million Metropolitan Police contract with US tech company Palantir, citing procurement rule violations and concerns about vendor lock-in, sparking a row with Scotland Yard. The Met warned that without the AI technology deal, it would face budget pressures forcing it to cut officer numbers and reduce policing capacity in London. The decision reflects growing public concerns about Palantir's ownership by Trump-supporting billionaire Peter Thiel and its work with the Israeli military and US immigration enforcement.