WhatsApps show Palantir lobbying to include GP data in NHS Federated Data Platform
Messages from a senior Palantir executive to a government minister show the US tech giant lobbying to bring yet more sensitive patient data into its controversial NHS platform, documents obtained by tech justice non-profit Foxglove and reported in the Guardian reveal.
A briefing note sent via WhatsApp to the then-health minister in February this year argues that “the logic of joining up primary and secondary data is unarguable – and the federated nature of the software is ideal for that”.
Any such move would involve reversing previous Government commitments made to Parliament. When the NHS’ Federated Data Platform (FDP), run by Palantir, was set up in 2023, ministers told MPs that “GP data will not be part of the national platform”.
The note from Palantir shows that they are aware their apparent call to reverse this – by including “primary”, i.e. GP, data – will be controversial. It states that “the politics is not straightforward – the previous Government ruled GP data out of scope when announcing the FDP”. The document advises the minister that “it will be one to get ahead of and explain, otherwise [opponents] will make hay with it.”
The messages also show frequent requests – sent direct to then-health minister Zubir Ahmed’s phone – for meetings with the company, which is chaired by Trump supporter and donor Peter Thiel. MPs on both the Health and the Science and Technology Select Committees have called for Palantir’s contract with the NHS to be ended, warning that it raises issues in terms of public trust and over-reliance on major US tech firms.
The briefing note – which is said to “address some of the more political issues around the programme” – was sent in early February 2026, when scrutiny over Palantir’s role in UK public services was growing in the wake of the Mandelson scandal. Lord Mandelson had continued to hold a stake in his lobbying firm, which represented Palantir, while he was Ambassador to the US and had accompanied the then-Prime Minister on a visit to Palantir’s Washington DC office.
While the name of the Palantir executive is redacted, a reference to an appearance on “Kuenssberg” indicates that it may be UK manager Louis Mosley.
Health Secretary Yvette Cooper told MPs last week that the Government was “in the middle” of the process of reviewing Palantir’s contract with the NHS. The Government has previously said it would need to come to a decision on whether to extend Palantir’s contract by December this year.
Last month, Foxglove published a report setting out the ways in which claims of the benefits provided by Palantir to the NHS have been unsubstantiated; and detailing some of the firm’s extensive lobbying efforts.
Donald Campbell, advocacy director at Foxglove, said:
“These messages give a rare – and disturbing – behind-the-scenes look at Palantir’s influence with the UK Government. They show the firm lobbying to hoover up yet more of the British public’s sensitive personal data. It is appalling to see Palantir pressuring the then-minister to bring GP records into its platform, despite pledges from the Government in 2023 that this would not happen.
“The fact Palantir’s briefing document was kept secret shows they knew just how sensitive this was. It instructs the minister to ‘get ahead of’ the issue, otherwise opponents will ‘make hay with it.’ It is telling that they sought to make this argument privately, via privileged access to the government.
“This US spy-tech giant shares with President Trump a central goal: the global dominance of US technology companies over everyone else. Its chair has publicly criticised not only the NHS, but even democracy itself. Giving it a place at the heart of the UK’s public services carries huge risks.
“Andy Burnham must seize the chance – on his desk this year – to call an end to the contract, and kick Palantir out of the NHS.”
ENDS
Notes to editors
For further information, or to request copies of the messages, please contact press[AT]foxglove.org.uk
Foxglove’s October 2026 report on Palantir and the NHS can be found here: https://www.foxglove.org.uk/2026/10/20/palantir-nhs-foxglove-report