The UK defence secretary, John Healey (left), signs a £1.5bn strategic investment deal in September with Palantir’s chief executive, Alex Karp. Photograph: Lucy North/PA
Journalists find Swiss government rejected company over fears US intelligence might gain access to sensitive data
UK MPs have raised concerns about the government’s contracts with Palantir after an investigation published in Switzerland highlighted allegations about the suitability and security of its products.
The investigation by the Zurich-based research collective WAV and the Swiss online magazine Republik details Palantir’s efforts, over the course of seven years, to sell its products to Swiss federal agencies.
Palantir is a US company that provides software to integrate and analyse data scattered across different systems, such as in the health service. It also provides artificial intelligence-enabled military targeting systems.
The investigation cites an expert report, internal to the Swiss army, that assessed Palantir’s status as a US company meant there was a possibility sensitive data shared with it could be accessed by the US government and intelligence services.
British MPs have voiced concerns over the US data company in light of the report.
“Palantir … is an organisation that the British government, in terms of the NHS, in terms of contracts, should stay very far away from … I think the Swiss army is right to be suspicious,” said the Labour MP Clive Lewis.
The government “needs to undertake transparent due diligence” on the conduct of Palantir and other big tech companies, said Rachael Maskell, the MP for York Central.
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Maccabi supporters wave yellow flags next to Israeli flags during the UEFA Europa League, League phase – Matchday 4, football match between Ajax Amsterdam and Maccabi Tel Aviv at the Johan-Cruijff stadium, in Amsterdam on November 7, 2024. [Robin van Lonkhuijsen / ANP / AFP) / Netherlands OUT/ Getty Images]
Fans of Maccabi Tel Aviv will not be permitted to attend next month’s UEFA Europa League match at Aston Villa after West Midlands Police classified the fixture as high risk due to security concerns and previous incidents of violence involving the Israeli club’s supporters.
Aston Villa confirmed that Birmingham’s Safety Advisory Group (SAG), which issues match-day safety certificates, had instructed the club that “no away fans will be permitted” when the sides meet at Villa Park on 6 November. “The safety of supporters attending the match and of local residents is at the forefront of any decision,” Villa said.
Police said the measure would “help mitigate risks to public safety”, citing “current intelligence and previous incidents, including violent clashes and hate-crime offences that occurred during the 2024 UEFA Europa League match between Ajax and Maccabi Tel Aviv in Amsterdam.”
The ban follows serious unrest during that fixture, when Dutch police reported that Maccabi fans tore down and burned a Palestinian flag, vandalised vehicles, and shouted anti-Palestinian slogans before the match. Dozens were injured in the ensuing confrontations, and 62 people were arrested.
While such bans are not unusual in European football, the decision has provoked fierce political debate in Britain. Prime Minister Keir Starmer called it “the wrong decision”, saying: “We will not tolerate antisemitism on our streets. The role of the police is to ensure all football fans can enjoy the game without fear of violence or intimidation.”
Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch called the ruling a “national disgrace” and urged Starmer to intervene, while Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar denounced it as “shameful” and demanded the UK reverse what he called a “coward decision.”
Bans on away supporters have become an increasingly common tool to manage high-risk fixtures in Europe. Last season, French authorities prohibited Ajax Amsterdam fans from travelling to Marseille, while Italy’s interior ministry blocked ticket sales to Eintracht Frankfurt supporters before their Champions League clash with Napoli—both on grounds of public safety.
UEFA said in a statement that local authorities are responsible for such decisions, which are based on “thorough risk assessments that vary from match to match.”
The restriction on Maccabi Tel Aviv fans, however, has been framed by Israeli officials and senior British politicians as evidence of anti-Semitism, despite the police justification focusing on documented violence and disorder. The move comes amid heightened tensions over Israel’s continuing genocide in Gaza, which has fuelled protests and counter-demonstrations across Europe.
The Palestine Solidarity Campaign said that instead of lifting the ban, the match itself should be cancelled, arguing that “Israeli football teams shouldn’t play in international tournaments whilst Israel commits genocide and apartheid.”
For now, West Midlands Police insist their stance remains purely precautionary. “We remain steadfast in our support of all affected communities,” the force said, “and reaffirm our zero-tolerance stance on hate crime in all its forms.”
Senior government officials are set to meet today in an attempt to reverse the ban.
Keir Starmer objects to criticism of the IDF. He asks how could anyone object to them starving people to death, forced marches like the Nazis did, bombing Gaza’s hospitals and universities, mass-murdering journalists, healthworkers and starving people queuing for food, killing and raping prisoners and murdering children. He calls for people to stop obstructing his genocide for Israel.Genocide denier and Current UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer is quoted that he supports Zionism without qualification. He also confirms that UK air force support has been essential in Israel’s mass-murdering genocide. Includes URLs https://www.declassifieduk.org/keir-starmers-100-spy-flights-over-gaza-in-support-of-israel/ and https://youtu.be/O74hZCKKdpAOrcas discuss Genocide-supporting and complicit Zionists. Donald Trump, Keith Starmer, David Lammy, Rachel Reeves, Angela Rayner and Wes Streeting are acknowledged as evil genocide-complicit and supporting cnuts.
