A lobbyist who recently represented the controversial $450bn US tech firm Palantir held a senior role in the campaign that helped Andy Burnham regain a seat in parliament and ultimately reach Downing Street, it has emerged.
Martha Dalton, whose company Lodestone carried out work for Palantir in 2024 and 2025, took an active part in the Makerfield byelection contest that secured Burnham’s return to parliament. According to reporting, Dalton worked closely with Burnham’s team on strategic communications and on rebuttals during the campaign.
Her involvement extended beyond campaign planning: Dalton was among the supporters who accompanied Burnham as he entered Downing Street in July. The disclosure of her previous commercial relationship with Palantir has drawn attention because of the company’s high profile and the contentious nature of some of its activities.
The details add to scrutiny over the connections between political campaigns and private sector advisers. Dalton’s role in the byelection and the timing of Lodestone’s work for Palantir in 2024 and 2025 have been highlighted as part of closer examination of the networks that supported Burnham’s return to national office.
Representatives for Dalton, Lodestone and Burnham’s team have not been quoted here; further comment may clarify the precise nature and scope of the work carried out during the byelection and the consultancy arrangements with Palantir.
The developments come as debate continues in the UK about lobbying, transparency and the influence of external advisers in political campaigns, particularly where advisers have links to large international technology firms.