‘Hands Off Our NHS’: Anti-Palantir Protests Break Out in UK Over Deal With National Health Service
Around 80 protesters gathered outside the NHS ConfedExpo in Manchester on Thursday to oppose a $440 million contract between the UK’s National Health Service and Palantir, citing concerns over national security, data privacy, and the company’s political ties. The activists, including NHS workers and groups like Amnesty International and Unison, demanded the contract be terminated, highlighting Palantir’s past work with US Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the Israeli military as key reasons for their opposition.
Protesters in hospital gowns and carrying signs gathered outside the NHS ConfedExpo in Manchester on Thursday to protest a $440 million deal between the UK’s National Health Service and Palantir, an American data analytics and AI company. Around 80 people blocked the conference entryway, chanting slogans like ‘Hands off our NHS, hands off our health data’ and demanding the contract be ended immediately. Organized by the activist group Pull the Plug, the protest also included representatives from Amnesty International and Unison, a healthcare workers’ trade union. The contract, signed in 2020 during the early stages of the Covid-19 pandemic, grants Palantir access to the NHS’s federated data platform to analyze health records and improve efficiency. While the agreement runs until 2031, it includes a break clause allowing the UK government to withdraw by February 2025. Protesters, including an NHS nurse named John, expressed fears over sensitive patient data being shared with a foreign entity and Palantir’s involvement in controversial projects like US immigration enforcement and Israeli military operations. Concerns were further fueled by comments made in 2023 by Palantir cofounder Peter Thiel, who suggested the NHS should be ‘ripped from the ground and started over.’ Additionally, a manifesto based on CEO Alex Karp’s book raised questions about the company’s political leanings, despite Palantir’s denial of partisan influence. Louis Mosley, head of Palantir’s European business, has stated the company does not align with any specific political ideology, though critics remain skeptical. The protest highlighted broader anxieties about AI and data privacy in public services, with activists arguing that ordinary people should have a greater say in how technology is deployed. Pull the Plug cofounder Frieda Lurken emphasized that while AI has potential benefits, its use must be democratically controlled rather than imposed without public consent. The demonstration underscored growing opposition to Palantir’s expanding role in UK public-sector data systems.
This content was automatically generated and/or translated by AI. It may contain inaccuracies. Please refer to the original sources for verification.