{
  "id": 5530563,
  "title": "Sadiq Khan agrees to have his texts and emails searched in Palantir legal battle",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/03/sadiq-khan-agrees-to-have-his-texts-and-emails-searched-in-palantir-5530563",
  "topic": "tech",
  "section": "Tech",
  "published": "2026-09-03T22:04:49.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Guardian Technology",
    "slug": "guardian-technology",
    "url": "https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2026/sep/03/sadiq-khan-agrees-have-texts-emails-searched-palantir-legal-battle"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "High court documents reveal that Sadiq Khan, London's mayor, has agreed to have his text messages and emails searched as part of a legal dispute with Palantir, an American technology company. Khan blocked a £50 million deal between Palantir and the Metropolitan Police in May, leading to the lawsuit. Despite initially believing it unnecessary, Khan's legal team conceded to search his communications after persistent requests from Palantir. Sarah Brown, now Downing Street's director of communications, will also have her correspondence scrutinized. The deal, if approved, would have granted Palantir access to AI technology for criminal investigation analysis. However, Mopac, the organization overseeing large police contracts, accused Khan of disregarding procurement rules by only considering Palantir as a supplier. Palantir accused Khan of prioritizing politics over public safety and subsequently declared its intention to sue him in June. At a preliminary hearing, the high court determined that Khan and over a dozen Mopac and Greater London Authority officials would be classified as \"custodians,\" meaning their digital communications would be searched and disclosed to Palantir.",
  "summary": "US tech company has sued London mayor after he prevented it from working with Metropolitan police Sadiq Khan has agreed for his text messages and emails to be searched as part of a legal battle with Palantir, the high court has been told, after he prevented the US technology company from working with the Metropolitan police. The London mayor stepped in to block a £50m deal between Palantir and…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Guardian Business",
        "title": "Sadiq Khan fined by fast-track court over untaxed car City Hall says is not his",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/02/sadiq-khan-fined-by-fast-track-court-over-untaxed-car-city-hall-says",
        "published": "2026-09-02T08:30:27.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}