High Court orders search of Sadiq Khan’s emails in £50m Palantir dispute

The High Court has ordered a search of Sadiq Khan’s digital communications as part of a legal dispute over a £50m contract between the Metropolitan Police and technology firm Palantir. The Mayor’s Office for Policing and Crime (MOPAC) blocked the two-year deal in May 2026, prompting Palantir to sue for unlawful interference.

The court was told that Khan’s emails, texts and WhatsApp messages will be reviewed alongside those of more than a dozen MOPAC and Greater London Authority officials. Any relevant material will be disclosed to Palantir. The search will cover communications from an unspecified period leading up to the decision.

Procurement failures and ethics concerns

MOPAC confirmed that Sarah Brown, former communications director for Khan, initiated press briefings about the blocked contract. Brown left the role in July 2026 to become Downing Street’s director of communications. Her messages will also be searched as part of the legal process.

Palantir’s legal team argued in court documents that MOPAC unlawfully considered the firm’s ‘values and ethics’ when vetoing the contract. The company is seeking a court declaration that MOPAC acted unlawfully, an order to quash the decision and a directive to award the contract to Palantir.

MOPAC’s lawyers countered that the Met failed to present a clear procurement strategy, breaching procedure and creating a risk of wasting public funds. They stated that Palantir was the only supplier seriously considered, which MOPAC claimed was a ‘clear and serious breach’ of procurement rules.

What happens next

The date range for the communication searches will be set at a further hearing before Mr Justice Constable. The full case is scheduled for January 2027, with no immediate resolution expected. The Met has already begun a new procurement process for the contract.