Mandelson Had No Role in Palantir-UK Data Deal, Healey Says

Peter Mandelson played no role in facilitating the award of a £240.6 million ($325 million) data-analytics contract to Palantir Technologies Inc., the UK’s Defence Secretary John Healey said after opposition parties raised questions over the process.

The contract, awarded without competitive tender by the Ministry of Defence in December, has attracted scrutiny in the wake of a scandal over Mandelson’s relationship with convicted pedophile Jeffrey Epstein. Mandelson co-founded Global Counsel, which lists Palantir among its clients on the most recent register of its lobbying interests.