

https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2026/oct/02/lobbyist-palantir-martha-dalton-andy-burnham

A recent lobbyist for the controversial $450bn US tech company Palantir played a senior role in helping Andy Burnham become prime minister, it has emerged.
Martha Dalton, whose company Lodestone worked for Palantir in 2024 and 2025, campaigned for Burnham in the Makerfield byelection that secured his return to parliament. She worked closely with his team on strategic communications and rebuttals, and was among supporters who clapped him into Downing Street in July.
Lodestone, which Dalton co-founded, worked for Palantir on projects including promoting its software at events in parliament where its engineers demonstrated AI-powered systems for use in British public services to MPs.
Dalton previously worked on the autumn 2025 deputy leadership campaign for the current education secretary, Lucy Powell, a few months after Lodestone stopped working for Palantir.
Her role emerged as Palantir fights to retain its £330m contract with NHS England to run the federated data platform, a national medical data system.
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Article continues at https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2026/oct/02/lobbyist-palantir-martha-dalton-andy-burnham

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Hundreds of people gathered at Odenplan Square in Stockholm on Saturday to protest Israeli attacks on Palestine and Lebanon, Anadolu reports.
The demonstrators, responding to calls from several civil society organizations in the Swedish capital, condemned Israeli strikes in Gaza, the occupied West Bank and Lebanon, as well as violations of ceasefire agreements.
They carried banners reading “Children are being killed in Gaza,” “Schools and hospitals are being bombed,” “Stop the attacks on Lebanon,” “Doctors are not targets. Stop killing our doctors,” and “Give back to Palestinians their land, homes, properties and resources.”
The protesters called for an immediate end to Israel’s attacks on Gaza and urged the Swedish government to stop arms sales to Israel.
Swedish activist Hakan Larsson said he joined the demonstration to show support for the Palestinian people.
Larsson said children in Gaza were continuing to face hunger and that people were being killed in daily bombardments. He said politicians were failing to take necessary action and called for an end to Israel’s military campaign and for peace in the Middle East.
READ: Around 5,600 children among 22,000 Gaza patients awaiting medical evacuation, official says
Larsson said Gaza’s health and education infrastructure had been destroyed and described the situation as critical.
“ The situation in Gaza is still very critical. There are no hospitals left. They bombed the schools. Children are suffering from hunger and cannot receive medical supplies because Israel is stopping aid at the border. That is why we must do everything we can to stop this ongoing genocide.”
Pointing to the spread of the attacks across the region, Larsson said, “Similar things are happening in Lebanon. They continue to bomb villages and kill people. We must do everything we can to stop Israel.”
Since the start of the Israeli genocide in October 2023, the Israeli army Israel has killed more than 74,000 Palestinians and injured over 175,000 in the Gaza Strip, according to Palestinian figures, while around 90% of the territory’s infrastructure has been destroyed.
READ: Israeli opposition leader says young Israelis backed killing ‘everyone’ in Gaza
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Portugal’s Public Prosecutor’s Office has opened an inquiry into the legality of US military use of Lajes Air Base ahead of its war against Iran, according to media reports.
The inquiry follows a complaint filed by the Left Bloc in April, which called for an investigation into whether the use of the base violated domestic and international law, broadcaster RTP reported Friday.
The party then asked the Attorney General’s Office to investigate whether the use of the base complied with the law, arguing from the outset that it constituted a “gross violation of International Law.”
The coordinator of the Left Bloc, Joss Manuel Pureza, stated at the time that “either the Government” was “in agreement with the gross violation of International Law and Portuguese Law,” or it lacked the “political backbone” to “remove itself from illegality.”
READ: Dual UK-Iranian national arrested over suspected RAF Fairford plot released on bail
Pureza also questioned the position taken by Foreign Minister Paulo Rangel, who has denied any violation of the agreement between Portugal and the US regarding the military use of Lajes or of International Law.
“I suppose that, moreover, Minister Paulo Rangel himself doesn’t believe what he’s saying. Because saying that the Lajes Air Base isn’t being used for aggressive purposes is pure fabrication. Saying that the Lajes Air Base agreement is being fulfilled is another fabrication.”
According to the report, Pureza believes it is necessary to wait for the conclusions of the inquiry, but understands that, “by taking this step,” the Public Prosecutor’s Office acknowledges that “there is merit” in the complaint filed by the party.
READ: Trump’s national security team holds unannounced Camp David talks on Iran war, Yemen: Axios
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About 5,600 children in Gaza are among approximately 22,000 patients awaiting urgent medical evacuation abroad, according to a senior hospital official, Anadolu reports.
Dr. Ahmed Al-Farra, director of the Children’s and Maternity Building at Nasser Medical Complex, said ongoing delays and border crossing closures have left critically ill and injured patients without access to essential life-saving treatment outside the enclave.
Al-Farra reported that two to three patients die daily while waiting for transfer approvals. He called on the United Nations and international organizations to facilitate the immediate reopening of border crossings to allow medical evacuations.
READ: Displaced Palestinians in Gaza call for humanitarian aid as winter approaches
The Israeli army has killed more than 1,400 Palestinians and wounded over 5,000 others since the ceasefire, according to figures from Gaza’s Health Ministry.
Since October 2023, the Israeli army has killed over 74,000 people and wounded more than 175,000 others in a brutal offensive that has also destroyed %90 of Gaza’s infrastructure.
READ: Displaced Palestinians in Gaza call for humanitarian aid as winter approaches
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