Sadiq Khan Agrees to Text and Email Search in Palantir Lawsuit

London Mayor Sadiq Khan has agreed to a search of his text messages and emails as part of an ongoing legal dispute with the US technology company Palantir, the High Court was informed on September 3, 2026. This agreement stems from Khan's decision in May 2026 to block a significant £50 million contract between Palantir and the Metropolitan Police. Following this intervention, Palantir initiated legal action against Khan's office, alleging wrongful interference with the proposed deal.

Palantir, an artificial intelligence developer, had been in discussions to provide its data analytics services to the Metropolitan Police. The proposed contract, valued at £50 million, aimed to leverage Palantir's technology for various police operations. However, Mayor Khan intervened and prevented the deal from proceeding. The specifics of Khan's objections to the Palantir-Metropolitan Police partnership have not been fully detailed in public court proceedings, but the decision led directly to the lawsuit filed by the technology firm.

The legal battle now involves the examination of communications belonging to the Mayor of London. The agreement for the search of Khan's texts and emails signifies a crucial development in the case, as Palantir seeks to understand the rationale behind the decision to cancel the contract. The High Court's involvement underscores the seriousness of the dispute, which pits a major technology provider against a prominent city official over a substantial public sector contract. The outcome of this legal challenge could have implications for how technology procurement deals are handled by public bodies in the UK and the extent to which mayoral offices can influence such decisions.

Palantir Technologies Inc. is a publicly traded American software and services company that specializes in big data analytics. Founded in 2003, the company develops platforms for data integration, defense, intelligence, and law enforcement. Its technology is designed to help organizations integrate and analyze vast amounts of data from disparate sources, enabling them to identify patterns, make predictions, and support decision-making. The Metropolitan Police, also known as the Met, is the territorial police force responsible for policing Greater London, excluding the City of London. It is the largest police force in the United Kingdom and one of the oldest in the world, employing over 30,000 officers.