Palantir's Capture of Britain's Military
Palantir secured a £240.6 million (≈ $305 million) three‑year contract with Britain’s Ministry of Defence, extending a relationship that began with a £28 million (≈ $35 million) deal in 2018 and grew to over £670 million (≈ $850 million) across the MoD, NHS and Home Office. The award was made without a competitive tender, shortly after former MoD Director of Industrial Strategy Barnaby Kistruck left the department and joined Palantir as a senior counsellor. Government officials defended the lock‑in as a way to avoid cost, delay and operational risk, while critics warn it threatens UK digital sovereignty. The episode highlights a revolving‑door pipeline that embeds a U.S. surveillance firm at the core of British defence planning.
Wes Streeting, Palantir and the Corporate Capture of the NHS
Health Secretary Wes Streeting quit the cabinet and hinted at a leadership bid, while his resignation letter downplayed a controversial relationship with former Labour minister Peter Mandelson. Leaked WhatsApp exchanges show Mandelson advising Streeting on pharma policy and encouraging ties...
AI Chatbots Are Fuelling a New Era of Violence Against Women
A new academic report, "Invisible No More," reveals that AI chatbots are being weaponised to perpetrate four distinct forms of violence against women and girls, from system‑generated abuse to role‑play simulations that normalise misogyny. The study cites Grok’s creation of...