Guardian Column Says Tom Watson's Move to Palantir Deepens Distrust in UK Politics

Former Labour deputy leader Tom Watson has joined data analytics firm Palantir as a senior vice-president, a move that Labour MP Clive Lewis argues deepens public distrust in UK politics, in a column published by The Guardian.

Lewis, the Labour MP for Norwich South, writes that Watson's new role at a company he describes as built around surveillance and military targeting technology sends a troubling signal about the political class, regardless of the specific circumstances of the appointment.

A history of high-profile campaigns

The column notes that Watson previously built a reputation for challenging powerful institutions, including his role in exposing phone hacking at News International and raising concerns about mass surveillance practices at the Home Office.

Lewis argues that Watson's move to Palantir represents a shift that, in his view, contributes to a broader erosion of public confidence in political figures who move between public service and firms associated with controversial technology.

The piece reflects Lewis's own perspective as a sitting Labour MP, and does not include a response from Watson or Palantir regarding the criticism raised in the column.