procurement

3 articles

Jun 28, 2026 • via the Guardian

State Contracts Route £24 Billion to Debt-Laden Owners

Private equity controls 8.8 percent of public spending on external providers

Analysis of procurement data shows high-leverage firms now deliver transport, care and NHS services under structures that prioritise investor returns over operational resilience.

Jan 30, 2026 • via The Telegraph

£4.1 Million Builds a Gateway to Nowhere

Labour's AI Skills Hub promises 10 million trainees but delivers dead links and degree mills

A £4.1m taxpayer-funded portal curates non-existent and irrelevant courses, revealing procurement failures in Labour's tech skills drive. This wastes public money amid urgent AI workforce needs.

Jan 6, 2026 • via POLITICO

£240 Million Defence Data to Palantir, No Bids Asked

MoD triples 2022 spend on US firm amid sovereignty pledges

UK Ministry of Defence awards Palantir £240m no-bid contract for military AI, tripling prior spend despite sovereignty rhetoric and US trade pause. Critics highlight foreign dependence as British firms lose out.