Healthcare campaigners turn up the heat on Palantir at Labour conference

Healthcare advocates are ramping up pressure on Palantir during the Labour Party conference this week. MedAct and Just Treatment, two health justice charities, are organizing protests in Liverpool and London to urge the government not to renew Palantir's £330 million contract with the NHS. The Federated Data Platform contract, which could extend to 2029, is facing criticism from MPs, unions, and NHS staff members who argue Palantir's involvement poses risks to patient data security and trust.

The committee in charge of reviewing the contract stated that Palantir should not have such a significant role in the UK public sector, urging the government to either develop an alternative or seek a UK provider. The protesters claim the contract is a case of vendor lock-in, leaving the NHS exposed to potential risks. Palantir maintains that its software is benefiting the NHS by improving bed and operating theatre utilization, but the protesters argue that the company's history in surveillance, military technology, and alleged human rights abuses make it unsuitable for handling sensitive health data.