Former Labour deputy leader Tom Watson leaves UK Music to join Palantir

Former Labour Party deputy leader Lord Tom Watson has become a senior vice president at controversial American AI firm Palantir. READ MORE: Massive Attack tell us about tackling the climate crisis at gigs and new music incoming for 2025 Announcing his appointment on X on Friday (September 18), Watson said Palantir was “the most interesting company on the planet, doing work of real consequence”. Founded 20 years ago by billionaire Peter Thiel, the company has financial backing from the CIA, with clients including the US and Israeli militaries, ICE, the FBI, and the NHS. Watson said the company had “challenges” and although some criticism was “propaganda” there were “legitimate questions about large technology companies and sovereign control”. Responding to the news, Green MP Sian Berry said his role was “yet another example of the corrosive revolving door between politics and big business lobbying that has no place in public life”. She continued to say that the company had “no business at all in our NHS and public services”, and that Watson had been employed to “lobby his friends in the Labour government.” That sentiment was echoed by many on social media, with one X user saying the...