Tom Watson’s move to Palantir is the latest sign of how far the rot has spread in UK politics

When a former Labour deputy leader joins a firm built on surveillance and military targeting, it deepens public cynicism – and democracy depends on trust

Whatever is said about Tom Watson, the former deputy leader of the Labour party has a knack for landing headlines. In the past he did it at the expense of the rich and powerful – from News International, over phone hacking, to the Home Office, over its mass surveillance of our data. But his latest headline – that he has joined Palantir as a senior vice-president – has been at the expense of public confidence in the political class.

His new appointment is more than just a private career choice. It sends yet another signal to a weary public about just how far the rot in our democracy has spread.

Clive Lewis is the Labour MP for Norwich South

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