UCPI – Public Inquiry
Resources, analysis and archives about the Undercover Policing Inquiry (UCPI).
As the Inquiry progresses, we will add links here to all our reports and other relevant material to save you wading back through the blog.
UCPI FAQ
What is the Undercover Policing Inquiry? Why was it set up? Who will be giving evidence? How long will it last?
All the fundamental questions and answers are here in our UCPI FAQ.
What do the people who were spied on think?
Ahead of the inquiry, in October 2020, 85 people who were spied on – about a third of those granted ‘core participant’ status at the Inquiry – signed a general statement on undercover policing.
The Inquiry itself issued an interim report in 2023 that was utterly damning. It declared there was no justification for that these officers did and, had the public been aware, they would have been swiftly shut down.
How can I find out what happened at spycops inquiry hearings?
We have been there for every minute of every hearing, and we’ve produced summary reports.
Sometimes we’ve done them on a daily basis, sometimes weekly (some weeks we’ve done both!).
They are often quite long, but we’re very conscious that we’re not only providing news but making an archive for posterity. There needs to be a record that picks out the key details and gives some insight, rather than just leaving it to the Inquiry’s weirdly formatted PDF transcripts.
COPS reports from the Inquiry
Tranche 2 Phase 2 (SDS 1983-1992, animal rights)
Tranche 2 Phase 1 (SDS 1983-1992, non-animal rights)
Tranche 1, Phase 3 (Managers 1968-82)
Tranche 2 Phase 2 (SDS 1983-1992, animal rights)
Weekly Report 15: 11-15 November 2024
Evidence from activists and a solicitor who represented them:
- Timothy Greene
- Albert Beale
- Robin Lane
- Paul Gravett
- Geoff Sheppard
Weekly Report 14: 4-7 November 2024
Somewhat overshadowed by outrage at the Inquiry’s ban on livestreaming, evidence was given by ex London Greenpeace activists:
- Martyn Lowe
- Dave Morris
- Chris Baillee
- Gabrielle Bosley
Weekly Report 13: 21-24 October 2024
Evidence from:
- ‘ZWB’
- Kaden Blake (sister of Matthew Rayner)
- Faith Mason (mother of Neil Martin)
- HN122 ‘Neil Richardson’
- Richard Adams (father of Rolan Adams)
- John Burke-Monerville
Daily Report 15 October 2024
Opening statements from people spied on by police.
Daily Report 14 October 2024
Opening statements including some forthright admissions and apologies from the police, as well as ontributiond from the Home Office, lawyers for spycops, and lawyers for those they spied on.
Tranche 2 Phase 1 (SDS 1983-1992, non-animal rights)
Weekly Report 12: 29 July–2 August 2024
The deployment of officer HN78 Trevor Morris ‘Anthony “Bobby” McGee’.
Evidence from:
- ‘Bea’
- ‘Jenny’
- The family of the real Anthony Lewis whose identity HN78 Trevor Morris stole
- HN78 Trevor Morris ‘Anthony “Bobby” McGee’
Weekly Report 11: 22-25 July 2024
Evidence from:
- HN25 ‘Kevin Douglas’
- HN90 ‘Mark Kerry’
- HN56 ‘Alan Nicholson’
- Lindsey German (Socialist Workers Party)
- The odd case of HN95 Stefan Scutt ‘Stefan Wesolowski’
Weekly Report 10: 15-17 July 2024
Evidence from:
- Kate Hudson (Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament)
- HN33/HN98 ‘Kathryn Lesley “Lee” Bonser’
- HN88 ‘Timothy Spence’
- HN65 ‘John Kerry’
- Rebecca Johnson (Greenham Common Women’s Peace Camp)
- Hilary Moore (Greenham Common Women’s Peace Camp)
- Jane Hickman (solicitor representing Greenham women)
Weekly Report 9: 8-11 July 2024
Evidence from:
- HN20 ‘Tony Williams’
- MSW
- Albert Beale
- Dave Morris
- Stephen Sorba (Friends of Freedom Press)
- HN85 Roger Pearce ‘Roger Thorley’
- HN12 ‘Mike Hartley’
- HN82 ‘Nicholas Green’
- HN67 ‘Alan Bond’, Michael Chant (Revolutionary Communist Party of Britain)
- Frank Bennett (family of the real Michael Hartley)
- HN19 ‘Malcolm Shearing’
Weekly Report 8: 1-3 July 2024
First week of ‘Tranche 2’ examining 1983-1992. Opening statements from all sides and some astonishingly frank admissions and apologies from the police.
Tranche 1, Phase 3 (Managers 1968-82)
Witnesses
Day 10: 20 May 2022
Evidence from HN307 Trevor Butler.
Day 9: 19 May 2022
Evidence from HN244 Angus McIntosh.
Day 8: 18 May 2022
Evidence from HN34 Geoff Craft.
Day 7: 17 May 2022
Evidence from HN3378 Derek Brice and a statement from HN2401 Anthony Greenslade.
Day 6: 16 May 2022
Evidence from spycops managers:
- HN3095 Bill Furner
- HN103 David Smith
- HN3093 Roy Creamer
Day 5: 13 May 2022
Evidence from Elizabeth Leicester (former member of the Workers Revolutionary Party) and HN218 Barry Moss ‘Barry Morris’ (undercover officer 1968, manager 1980-82).
Day 4: 12 May 2022
Evidence from Dr Lindsey German of the Socialist Workers Party.
Opening statements
Day 3: 11 May 2022
Opening statements from:
- Rajiv Menon QC (representing Tariq Ali, Piers Corbyn and Ernie Tate)
- Dave Morris (activist, Inquiry core participant)
- Kirsten Heaven (representing Other Non-Police, Non-State Core Participants [through the co-ordinating group])
- Summary of Evidence of ‘Madeleine’
- Summary of Evidence of Julia Poynter
Day 2: 10 May 2022
Opening statements from:
- Catherine Brown (representing the Home Secretary)
- James Scobie QC (representing Lindsey German, ‘Mary’, & Richard Chessum)
- Fiona Murphy QC (families who discovered that the identities of their loved ones had been appropriated by the spycops to construct cover names; also women deceived into sexual relationships, as well as a child born as a result of one of those relationships, and one man deceived into a long term close friendship)
- Charlotte Kilroy QC (representing Diane Langford and ‘Madeleine’)
- Owen Greenhall (representing Lord Peter Hain, Ernest Rodker and Jonathan Rosenhead)
- Sam Jacobs (representing Celia Stubbs)
Day 1: 9 May 2022
Opening statements from lawyers for the police. Additional statements from targeted activists Diane Langford, John Rees and Joan Rudder.
Tranche 1, Phase 2 (1973-82)
Witnesses
Weekly Report 7: 10-13 May 2021
Highlights summary report from the final week on spycops 1973-82: how they ran the groups they spied on, deceived women into relationships, spied on children – and they’re still not sorry. Evidence from:
- ‘Madeleine’ (deceived into a relationship by HN354 Vincent Clark ‘Vince Miller’)
- HN354 Vincent Clark ‘Vince Miller’
- HN80 ‘Colin Clark’
- HN106 ‘Barry Tompkins’
- HN356/124, HN126 ‘Paul Gray’
- HN96 ‘Michael James’
- HN155 ‘Phil Cooper’
- David Reid & Brian Lockie, risk assessors of HN155 ‘Phil Cooper’
Day 14: 11 May 2021
Evidence from HN354 Vincent Clark ‘Vince Miller’.
Part one: joining the spycops, deceiving women into relationships.
Part two: spying on socialist and anti-racist campaigns.
Day 13: 10 May 2021
Evidence from ‘Madeleine’ (deceived into a relationship by HN354 Vinent Clark ‘Vince Miller’).
Weekly Report 6: 4-7 May 2021
Highlights summary of the week: officers punching people they spy on, lying to courts & covering up killings of demonstrators.
Evidence from:
- HN301 ‘Bob Stubbs’
- HN303 ‘Peter Collins’
- HN298 ‘Mike Scott’
- ‘Mary’ (deceived into a relationship by HN297 Richard Clark ‘Rick Gibson’)
- HN353 ‘Gary Roberts’
- HN351 ‘Jeff Slater’
- HN297 Richard Clark ‘Rick Gibson’
- Richard Chessum (Troops Out Movement)
- HN200 ‘Roger Harris’
- HN300 ‘Jimmy Pickford’
- HN13 ‘Barry/ Desmond Loader’
- HN296 ‘Geoff Wallace’
- Celia Stubbs (partner of Blair Peach, anti-racist activist killed by police)
- HN304 ‘Graham Coates’
Day 16: 13 May 2021
Summary of HN155 ‘Phil Cooper’ (1979-83) and his risk assessors David Reid & Brian Lockie. Witness evidence from HN96 ‘Michael James’ (1978-83)
Day 15: 12 May 2021
Officers who spied on left wing & anti-racist groups.
Summaries of:
- HN80 ‘Colin Clark’ (1977-82),
- HN106 ‘Barry Tompkins’ (1979-83)
- HN356/124 ‘Bill Biggs’ (1977-82)
Evidence from: HN126 ‘Paul Gray’ (1977-82)
Day 12: 7 May 2021
Evidence from spycop HN304 ‘Graham Coates’ (1975-79)
Day 11: 6 May 2021
Summaries of:
- HN300 ‘Jimmy Pickford’ (1974-77),
- HN13 ‘Barry / Desmond Loader’ (1975-78)
- HN296 ‘Geoff Wallace’ (1975-78)
Evidence from: Celia Stubbs (partner of Blair Peach)
Day 10: 5 May 2021
Summaries of:
- HN353 ‘Gary Roberts’ (1974-78)
- HN351 ‘Jeff Slater’ (1974-75)
- HN297 Richard Clark ‘Rick Gibson’ (1974-76)
Evidence from:
- Richard Chessum
- HN200 ‘Roger Harris’ (1974-77)
Day 9: 4 May 2021
Summaries of:
- HN301 ‘Bob Stubbs’ (1971-76)
- HN303 ‘Peter Collins’ (1973-77)
Evidence from:
- HN298 ‘Mike Scott’ (1971-76)
- ‘Mary’
Weekly Report 5: 26-30 April 2021
Highlights summary of the week: Spying on the left while the far right run amok, little plan & even less moral purpose – more evidence of the entrenched culture of spycops in the 1970s.
Evidence from:
- Diane Langford (Marxist-Leninist and feminist)
- Dr Norman Temple
- HN45 ‘Dave Robertson’
- HN347 ‘Alex Sloan’
- Piers Corbyn
- Ernest Rodker
- HN299/342 ‘David Hughes’
- HN344 ‘Ian Cameron’
- Professor Jonathan Rosenhead (anti-apartheid campaigner)
- Christabel Gurney (anti-apartheid campaigner)
- Lord Peter Hain (anti-apartheid campaigner)
Day 8: 30 April 2021
Witness evidence from anti-apartheid campaigner & Labour minister Peter Hain
Day 7: 29 April 2021
Summaries of:
- HN299/342 ‘David Hughes’ (1971-76)
- HN344 ‘Ian Cameron’ (1971-72)
Evidence from anti-apartheid activists:
- Jonathan Rosenhead
- Christabel Gurney
Day 6: 28 April 2021
Evidence from two people spied on:
- Piers Corbyn
- Ernest Rodker
Day 5: 27 April 2021
Evidence from:
- HN45 ‘Dave Robertson’ (1970-73)
- HN347 ‘Alex Sloan‘ (1971)
Day 4: 26 April 2021
Evidence from people spied on:
- Diane Langford
- Dr Norman Temple
Opening statements
Weekly Report 4: 21-23 April 2021
Highlights summary of the week: The Inquiry begins to examine 1973-82 wth opening statements from all parties involved.
Day 3: 23 April 2021
Opening statements from:
- Heather Williams QC (representing relatives of deceased individuals)
- James Scobie QC (representing Richard Chessum and ‘Mary’)
- Rajiv Menon QC (representing Piers Corbyn)
- Kirsten Heaven (representing other Non-Police Non-State Core Participants)
- Dave Morris
Day 2: 22 April 2021
Opening statements from:
- Diane Langford
- ‘Madeleine’
- Phillippa Kaufmann QC (representing women who had relationships with undercover officers)
- Matthew Ryder QC (representing three anti apartheid activists and Celia Stubbs)
Day 1: 21 April 2021
Opening statements from:
- Counsel to the Inquiry
- Lawyers representing the Metropolitan Police Commissioner
- Lawyers representing 114 undercover officers
Tranche 1, Phase 1 (1968-72)
Witnesses, SDS
Weekly Report 3: 16-19 November 2020
Highlights summary of the week: Spycops infiltrating women’s equality groups, spying on an MP, defending sexual abuse of women – and the Inquiry itself hiding a spycop’s crime.
Opening statement from Dave Smith (blacklisted construction worker), lawyers’ meeting on format of questioning witnesses.
Evidence from:
- HN336 ‘Dick Epps’
- HN340 ‘Andy Bailey’/ ‘Alan Nixon’
- HN348 ‘Sandra Davies’
- HN345 ‘Peter Fredericks’ (HN345)
- HN343 ‘John Clinton’
- HN339 ‘Stewart Goodman’
- HN333
- HN349
Day 14: 19 November 2020
Evidence from HN345’Peter Fredericks’
Summaries of:
- HN333
- HN339 ‘Stewart Goodman’
- HN349
- HN343 ‘John Clinton’
Day 13: 18 November 2020
Evidence from ‘Sandra Davies’ (HN348)
Day 12: 17 November 2020
Opening statement from Dave Smith. Lawyers’ meeting on format of questioning witnesses.
Day 11: 16 November 2020
Evidence from:
- HN336 ‘Dick Epps’ (HN336)
- HN340 ‘Andy Bailey’ / ‘Alan Nixon’
Day 10: 13 November 2020
Evidence from:
- HN328 Joan Hillier
- HN326 ‘Doug Edwards’
Summaries of:
- HN330 ‘Don de Freitas’
- HN321 ‘William Paul “Bill” Lewis’
- HN322
Day 9: 12 November 2020
Evidence from:
- HN329 ‘John Graham’
- Ernest Tate
Summaries of:
HN218 Barry Moss ‘Barry Morris’
HN334 ‘Margaret White’
Day 8: 11 November 2020
Witness evidence from Tariq Ali
Opening statements
Day 7: 10 November 2020
Opening statements on behalf of Black justice campaigns & other victims of spycops.
Day 6: 9 November 2020
Opening statements on behalf of women deceived into relationship by spycops, plus families whose dead children’s identity was stolen, & justice campaigns.
Weekly Report 1: 2-6 November 2020
Highlights summary of the week: Opening statements of the main issues & experiences from police & the people they targeted.
Day 5: 6 November 2020
Opening statements from lawyers representing victims of spycops, largely from the trade union and labour movements.
Day 4: 5 November 2020
Opening statements from lawyers representing the majority of core participants who were victims of spycops, a vastly diverse range of people & experiences.
Day 3: 4 November 2020
Opening statements from lawyers representing spycops, three of their ex wives, & some people who were spied on.
Day 2: 3 November 2020
Lawyers representing police & state agencies’ opening statements.
Day 1: 2 November 2020
Counsel to the Inquiry’s opening statement.
COPS blog posts on the public inquiry
Every post we’ve done about the Inquiry over the years (warning: there is a very large amount of them!).