SCOTTISH Labour have been urged to distance themselves from Palantir after Lord Watson joined the controversial firm as its new vice-president.
Lord Watson is a Labour peer and former deputy leader of the party. He has come under significant fire for taking on the senior position with the tech and surveillance company, which has been involved with ICE operations in the US and with the Israeli Defense Forces in Gaza.
Previously, former Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar said the party would work with NHS England on building up digitisation in NHS Scotland.
This move sparked alarm due to the contract for this in England having been awarded to Palantir.
Seamus Logan MP warned that Palantir should be "nowhere near NHS Scotland" as he asked Michael Marra, the newly elected Scottish Labour chief, to speak up.
“The Scottish Labour party linked themselves to the firm, so now new leader Michael Marra must be clear on his position and end those ties.
“Sinister firms like this should have no role in our NHS, yet the organisation is stuffed with Labour Party interests – we cannot allow Scotland to be exposed to this lobbying through the backdoors of Westminster.
“The SNP will never allow our vital NHS to fall into the hands of private American tech giants and that cannot be undermined by a Labour Party which is falling in deeper and deeper with Palantir.”
Scottish Labour have been contacted for comment.
Labour already have extensive links to Palantir.
Peter Mandelson represented the company through his Global Counsel lobbying firm, and campaigners have been calling for an investigation into his role in helping the organisation win contracts from the UK Labour Government.
The UK Government has awarded at least £670 million worth of contracts to Palantir, including at least £382m with the Ministry of Defence (MoD) and £244m with the NHS.
There are concerns about new vice-president Watson's close relationships with Labour figures, given his history working in government with Prime Minister Andy Burnham and his de-facto deputy Louise Haigh, as well as now Chancellor John Healey.
The two Green members of the House of Lords have written to the Lord Speaker, asking to explore options to permanently expel Watson from the Chamber due to the "conflict of interest".
