Campaigners Urge Full Disclosure of Mandelson’s Connections to US Tech Company Palantir

Campaigners are urging for complete public transparency regarding Peter Mandelson’s connection to the US technology company Palantir. Concerns have escalated amid allegations that he may have divulged more sensitive information than has been reported in his emails to Jeffrey Epstein.

Palantir, which is valued at approximately $300 billion, specializes in providing military technology to the Israel Defense Forces and AI-driven deportation strategies for Donald Trump’s ICE units. The company currently holds UK government contracts totaling over £500 million. Notably, Global Counsel, a lobbying firm co-founded and partly owned by Mandelson, also collaborates with Palantir.

There are increasing calls for Sir Chris Wormald, the cabinet secretary, to disclose details pertaining to Mandelson’s involvement when the British embassy coordinated a visit for Keir Starmer to Palantir’s showroom in Washington DC. This visit took place in February 2025, shortly after Mandelson was appointed as the ambassador to the United States.

During this meeting, Mandelson and Starmer interacted with Palantir’s chief executive, Alex Karp, and were introduced to the company’s military technologies. Not long after, Karp signed a strategic partnership agreement with the UK’s Defence Secretary, John Healey. Furthermore, in January, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) finalized a three-year, £241 million contract with Palantir aimed at enhancing military AI and innovation.

Foxglove, a fair-tech advocacy group, has led the call for the Cabinet Office to disclose information regarding any actions taken by Mandelson during the negotiations concerning Palantir’s contracts.

Alex Burghart, a Conservative MP and shadow Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, has also urged Wormald to reassess Palantir’s latest MoD contract given the emerging allegations surrounding Mandelson’s conduct.

It has come to light that Starmer’s meeting with Palantir was not listed in the Prime Minister’s register of visits. Burghart stated that this meeting was only acknowledged in later disclosures and pointed out that Palantir’s MoD contract was awarded “by direct award” without open competition. He stressed the need for the cabinet secretary to confirm whether any other such contracts or undisclosed meetings existed.

These demands for transparency intensified in response to allegations that Mandelson allegedly forwarded highly sensitive government information to Epstein during his tenure as business secretary under Gordon Brown in 2009. This included governmental responses to the global financial crisis. Although Epstein was imprisoned for child sex offenses in 2008, he managed to continue his work, while Mandelson maintained contact with him.

“Given that Lord Mandelson is currently under investigation for allegedly leaking sensitive information to Jeffrey Epstein, it is vital to assess whether any similar incidents occurred in other dealings,” Donald Campbell, Foxglove’s director of advocacy, stated in a letter directed at Wormald.

In parliament, former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn called for an independent inquiry into the broader Mandelson controversy, highlighting “a gilded friendly web” surrounding Mandelson where favors were exchanged, and contracts seemingly awarded—indicating that Palantir seeks to access the National Health Service, allegedly at the behest of Mandelson and others.

Contracts between Palantir and the UK government have attracted significant criticism. The British Medical Association recently stated that some doctors may refuse to utilize Palantir’s £340 million NHS federated data platform in protest against the company’s involvement in facilitating ICE activities in the United States.

Palantir, co-founded by billionaire tech investor Peter Thiel, who has shown support for Trump, is under scrutiny. Emails uncovered by the Ministry of Justice hint at a connection between Epstein and Thiel as well.

Chi Onwurah, chair of the Science and Technology Committee, commented, “We have raised numerous questions regarding Palantir’s public sector contracts, including how and why they were established and whether the UK should rely on large US-based providers. We will be publishing our findings soon; it is evident that the government needs to enhance its sovereign capacity in emerging technologies and reassess its reliance on such firms.”

Though Mandelson stepped down as the director of Global Counsel in May 2024, he reportedly still holds shares in the consultancy, as verified by records at Companies House.

“It is crucial to acquire a complete understanding of Mandelson’s involvement,” Campbell remarked. “Anything less could inflict irreparable damage on public trust.”

Both Palantir and the Cabinet Office, along with the Ministry of Defence, have been approached for comments but have not yet responded.