Sadiq Khan, the Mayor of London, has agreed to allow his text messages and emails to be searched as part of a legal dispute with Palantir, a US technology company. This decision follows Khan's intervention to block a £50 million deal between Palantir and the Metropolitan Police.

Background

In May, Khan prevented Palantir from collaborating with the Metropolitan Police, leading the company to sue his office over the decision. Legal representatives for Khan initially believed it was unnecessary for him to be included among those whose communications would be searched prior to the court case scheduled for next year. However, they later agreed to this request due to persistent demands from Palantir.

Key Developments

  • Sarah Brown, Khan’s former director of communications, who is now working for the Prime Minister, will also have her correspondence searched.
  • The proposed two-year deal would have enabled Palantir to provide AI technology to automate intelligence analysis in criminal investigations.
  • The Mayor’s Office for Policing and Crime (Mopac) stated there was a “clear and serious breach” of procurement rules, indicating that police had only seriously considered Palantir as a supplier.