Tom Watson, former Labour deputy leader, joins Palantir full-time
The peer becomes the latest ex-minister to take a role at the US data analytics firm, which is facing scrutiny over public sector contracts in Britain
Tom Watson, the Labour peer and former deputy leader of the party, has taken a full-time position at Palantir, the US data analytics company, according to a report by The Guardian.
Watson will work alongside Louis Mosley, Palantir's chief executive for the UK and Europe, the report said. His appointment makes him the latest former government minister to join the company, which has attracted controversy over its expanding role in British public services.
According to the Guardian, Palantir is currently seeking to fend off pressure on the government led by Andy Burnham, a former ministerial colleague of Watson's, to cancel a £330m contract the company holds with the NHS.
The company is also engaged in a legal dispute with London mayor Sadiq Khan, who has blocked a £50m contract that would have allowed the Metropolitan police to use Palantir's artificial intelligence software in investigations, the report said.
Palantir is seeking to expand its presence in the UK public sector, where it already has an annual turnover of £427m, according to the Guardian's report.
Neither Watson nor Palantir was quoted directly in the report regarding the reasons for the appointment. The Guardian did not specify when Watson's role at the company would begin.
Sources
- Former Labour deputy leader Tom Watson joins Palantir — The Guardian — World
EGazette summarizes reporting from multiple sources; follow the links for the originals.
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