CAMPAIGNERS demanded the government end all contracts awarded to Palantir today after London Mayor Sir Sadiq Khan blocked a Met Police deal with the US tech surveillance firm.

Amnesty International UK welcomed the mayor’s decision to cancel the contract over value for money as the Met warned it could mean cuts to the number of officers.

The force claimed Palantir technology was “crucial” at a time when a financial shortfall would force it to reduce staff.

Kaya Comer-Schwartz, deputy mayor for policing and crime, announced approval for the contract would be withheld after identifying “clear and serious” procurement breaches.

The US surveillance company was set to deliver the “unified operational analytics” system to improve criminal investigations for £25.3 million in 2026/27, with an additional one-year optional extension of £24.8m in 2027/28.

Amnesty crisis response manager Kristyan Benedict told the Morning Star: “Sadiq Khan has done what the government has so far refused to do: look at who Palantir is, what it stands for, and ask whether public money should be going there. The answer is no.

“The mayor is right to block this deal with a company that is contributing to Israel’s genocide in Gaza and surveillance tools for Trump’s deportation machine.

“But this decision raises an urgent question for ministers: if the values concerns are serious enough to block a £50m policing contract, why are they not serious enough to trigger the break clause on a £330m NHS contract?

“The same company. The same human rights record. The same choice.

“Because of its contribution to massive human rights abuses including genocide, Amnesty’s message is clear — No Palantir in our NHS.”

The Met said the decision by the Mayor’s Office for Policing and Crime (Mopac) was “disappointing.”

It said: “We must be able to innovate at a faster rate than hostile states and organised criminals.

“For now, this decision prevents us using technology already available to the MoD, the NHS and other police forces.”

Palantir said the company’s software was already helping a number of police forces across the country to tackle crime.

It added: “In London, it has helped the Metropolitan Police to tackle serious corruption and criminality within its force. We are proud of that work and stand ready to further support law enforcement across the UK.”