Shirley Franklin with Defend the Whittington Coalition Campaigners outside the Town Hall

COUNCILLORS told campaigners this week that they opposed with “one voice” their Labour government’s decision to welcome an AI tech giant into the NHS.

The comments came as a deal struck with the American firm Palantir faces ever more public scrutiny.

In their latest move, campaigners from the Defend the Whittington Hospital Coalition waved flags and banners outside the Town Hall as councillors were due to discuss the state of the hospital.

The group has been gathering support – and signatures – in an effort to ensure the Whittington does not hand over access to hundreds of thousands of patient files to the American tech giant.

Members of the council’s health committee said they were “totally concerned” about the prospect of Palantir being linked to the hospital, and said they would support campaigners in their efforts to block it, thus going against their Labour colleagues in government.

Councillor Mick Gilgunn said: “We sit here as a committee, and really as one voice, we oppose Palantir involvement in privatisation of any of the service. It sounds like an unethical company internationally.”

Councillors discuss Palantir’s NHS involvement

The Whittington has previously said it has not yet planned to roll out the platform, but campaigners want assurances that any move to make a deal with Palantir will be blocked.

“They don’t have to make a decision until 2027, but we want them to make that decision now,” said long-time NHS campaigner Shirley Franklin. “It’s dangerous for the NHS to use it, it’s cancerous, it creeps all over the place.”

Ms Franklin said that Labour members in the Town Hall needed to do more to pressure their government into severing ties.

“You’re a Labour council, and it’s a Labour government providing the money. You’ve got a bit of power here to say something,” she said.

The NHS campaigner called on councillors to support protesters when they hand over a petition to hospital board members next week.

Councillor Joseph Croft, who chairs the committee, said: “We’re on the same side, we’re doing the same things, we would like to be doing more, so let us know how and what we can do.”

A Palantir spokes­person has previously said: “We are humbled to serve the NHS and proud that our software is helping to improve patient care and reduce waiting lists – having delivered 100,000 additional operations and counting.

“But that is what we do – provide software.

“We have no interest in selling or commercial­ising data in any way, and, in any case, we are legally and contractually prevented from doing so, with the customer in full control.”