Palantir's Tom Watson lectures MP on accuracy, citing selective data

Palantir's recently appointed UK senior vice president, Tom Watson, has criticized Labour MP Clive Lewis for making incorrect claims about the company. Watson, who previously held positions within the Labour Party, now works full-time for Palantir in the UK and Europe. He addressed Lewis's statements about Palantir's contracts in healthcare, policing, and defense, arguing that the company's software, Gotham or Foundry, was not required to compile the information presented.

Watson accused Lewis of spreading misinformation, citing various sources such as parliamentary statements, written questions, interviews, opinion pieces, and social media. He emphasized Palantir's investment in the UK and highlighted the software's contributions to cases like convicted ATM thieves, domestic abuse victims, and improved availability of Royal Navy vessels.

Watson specifically pointed to the NHS Federated Data Platform (FDP), stating it was live in 142 trusts and that 137 have already seen benefits. However, the Office for Statistics Regulation (OSR) warned against drawing conclusions about cause and effect without controlling for other variables. The OSR also noted that NHS England had added a caveat to its published figures on June 6, urging more cautious interpretation of the data.

Foxglove, a campaign group, obtained data revealing that an Inpatient Care Co-ordination Solution based on the FDP had led to 111,589 additional patients undergoing procedures in operating theatres, but 13 of the 41 trusts using the tool reported fewer operations after its introduction. Factors such as staffing, case complexity, and bed capacity could have influenced these results.

Watson's letter did not include the OSR's caveat, and he may need to apply similar scrutiny to the figures he uses in his accusations of misinformation.