Phil Cooper (alias)

This article is part of the Undercover Research Portal at Powerbase - investigating corporate and police spying on activists

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Part of a series on undercover police officers
HN155
Alias:	Phil Cooper
Deployment:	1979/80 - 1983
Unit:	Special Demonstration Squad
Targets:	Socialist Workers Party

Phil Cooper is the cover name used by a former undercover officer with the Special Demonstration Squad who was deployed 1979/80 to 1983 into the Socialist Workers Party. He is also referred to by the cipher HN155 for the purposes of the Undercover Policing Inquiry (for details of the N-numbers cipher system see N officers).

+++++ Last Updated July 2018 +++++

As an SDS undercover

During his time undercover came into regular contact with a then sitting MP, though he are unable to recall who that might have been.

In the Undercover Policing Inquiry

• 19 December 2018: Metropolitan Police make application to restrict real name.

• January 2018: more time granted 'to provide the Chairman with information in order for him to make a decision'.

• 7 March 2018: oral submissions invited in respect of a restriction order over the real name were invited for the hearing of 21 March 2018. In his 'Minded To' note, the Chair of the Inquiry, John Mitting, wrote:

The threat posed to his physical safety by former members of the group and/or sympathisers is nil or negligible. He will, however, inevitably be the subject of unwelcome media attention and is understandably concerned about the impact which that will have on his wife. But for the facts referred to below, I would have made a restriction order in respect of his real name, to avoid unnecessary infringement of the right of HN155 and his wife to respect for their private and family life.

The real name of HN155 is known to responsible journalists, who have written to him in that name. Publication of it by them from information already in their possession would not infringe any restriction order... if made. I am not minded to make futile orders. Hence the need for oral submissions from those with an interest in this issue.

HN155's position gave rise to a substantive discussion on regarding The Guardian's ability to publish his name, which was heard at the 21 March 2018 hearing as this would have a bearing on HN155's restriction order application. A subsequent Minded To note issued on 28 March 2018 saw Mitting indicating he was likely to grant the restriction order over HN155's real name.

• 5 June 2018: cover name and target group released.

• 9 July 2018: provisional decision to restrict real name made.