Recent lobbyist for Palantir had key role in helping Andy Burnham become PM
A recent lobbyist for the US tech company Palantir played a senior role in helping Andy Burnham become prime minister, raising questions about potential conflicts of interest. Martha Dalton, whose company Lodestone worked for Palantir until 2025, campaigned for Burnham in the Makerfield byelection and advised his team on strategic communications. The revelation emerges as Burnham's government faces mounting pressure to scrap Palantir's £330m NHS England contract, amid concerns about the company's work with the Israeli military and ties to the Trump administration.
Lodestone promoted Palantir's AI systems directly to MPs in parliament whilst simultaneously supporting Burnham's path to Number 10, including through Dalton's six-week secondment to his campaign team. Labour peer Tom Watson also recently took a full-time lobbying role at Palantir, following his involvement with Lodestone's advisory council. The company's NHS contract faces a critical break clause in February 2027, as campaigners, health workers and Labour members push for the deal to be terminated, citing allegations of human rights breaches related to Palantir's involvement with Israeli military operations in Gaza.
- Palantir lobbyist Martha Dalton helped Andy Burnham's campaign to become prime minister.
- Burnham's government faces pressure to scrap Palantir's £330m NHS contract.
- The company's work with Israeli military has triggered widespread calls for termination.
New here? Start with this
Andy Burnham is the prime minister of the United Kingdom. He recently became PM with help from several advisers, including Martha Dalton, who worked at a lobbying firm called Lodestone. Dalton played a key role in Burnham's successful campaign in a byelection and advised his team on communications strategy.
Lodestone worked during this time as a lobbying firm for Palantir, an American technology company. Whilst Dalton was helping Burnham, Lodestone was simultaneously promoting Palantir's artificial intelligence systems to MPs in parliament. This raises questions about potential conflicts of interest, especially since another prominent figure, Labour peer Tom Watson, later took a full-time lobbying role at Palantir.
The connection matters because Palantir holds a major contract worth £330m to provide services to the NHS in England. The company has faced significant controversy over its ties to the Israeli military and its work in military operations. The government is considering whether to end the contract, and a key decision point comes in February 2027, when there is an opportunity to terminate it.
Americas Art Business Companies Culture Elections Government Politics Technology World