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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Comment
Clive Lewis

Tom Watson’s move to Palantir is the latest sign of how far the rot has spread in UK politics

Tom Watson in London, January 2025.
‘Palantir probably doesn’t hire a former deputy leader for his coding skills. But does it hire access?’ Tom Watson in London, January 2025. Photograph: Hannah McKay/Reuters

Whatever is said about Tom Watson, the former deputy leader of the Labour party has a knack for landing headlines. In the past he did it at the expense of the rich and powerful – from News International, over phone hacking, to the Home Office, over its mass surveillance of our data. But his latest headline – that he has joined Palantir as a senior vice-president – has been at the expense of public confidence in the political class.

His new appointment is more than just a private career choice. It sends yet another signal to a weary public about just how far the rot in our democracy has spread.

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