Palantir awarded £240.6 million UK defence contract without competition; former MoD strategy director joined company days after leaving government
By
The Citizens
Summary
The article investigates how Palantir, a US surveillance technology company, secured a £240.6 million uncompetitive military contract with the UK Ministry of Defence. It highlights that Barnaby Kistruck, who helped write the UK's military AI strategy as MoD Director of Industrial Strategy, joined Palantir just nine days after leaving his government role. The contract was awarded three months later without competitive bidding, raising concerns about conflicts of interest, regulatory capture, and lack of public oversight in defence procurement.
Source
bskyPalantir awarded £240.6 million UK defence contract without competition; former MoD strategy director joined company days after leaving governmentcitizensreunited.substack.comKey quotes
· 3 pulledExactly nine days later after his departure, he was on the payroll of Palantir - the very US surveillance giant that would land a staggering £240.6 million uncompetitive military contract just three months later.
How does a foreign tech giant capture UK defence without the public noticing? You bypass competition entirely, and hire the very people writing the rules.
He had spent his final months helping to write the UK's blueprint for military AI, a strategy that advocated for a massively expanded role for AI in British defence.
You might also wanna read
U.S. Army Awards Palantir $10 Billion Contract for Software and Data Solutions
The U.S. Army has awarded Palantir a $10 billion enterprise contract, marking a significant shift in its software procurement strategy. The
washingtonpost.com·10mo ago
UK Signs £1.5 Billion Defense Partnership with Palantir for European Headquarters
The UK government has signed a £1.5 billion defense partnership with US data analytics company Palantir, which will establish its European d
theregister.com·9mo ago
MoD Sources Warn Palantir's UK Government Role Poses National Security Threat
Senior Ministry of Defence sources warn that Palantir's extensive role in UK government systems poses a national security threat, with conce
thenerve.news·3mo ago
Palantir hired 32 senior UK government officials since 2012 amid contract expansion
US tech surveillance firm Palantir has hired 32 senior UK government and public sector officials since 2012, including personnel from the NH
thenational.scot·1mo ago
Palantir awarded FCA contract to analyze UK financial crime intelligence data
The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has awarded Palantir a contract to analyze the UK financial regulator's internal intelligence data to
theguardian.com·3mo ago
London Mayor Sadiq Khan blocks £50m Met police contract with Palantir over procurement breach
London Mayor Sadiq Khan has blocked a £50m contract between the Metropolitan Police and Palantir, the US tech company, citing a "clear and s
theguardian.com·1mo ago