Mischievously inscribe an item with tip from Tommy Cooper maybe (7,8)
I believe the answer is:
cabinet minister
'cooper maybe' is the definition.
The definition and answer can be both people as well as being singular nouns.
Maybe there's a link between them I don't understand?
'mischievously inscribe an item with tip from tommy' is the wordplay.
'mischievously' is an anagram indicator (I've seen this in other clues).
'with' indicates putting letters inside.
'tip from' indicates taking the first letters.
The first letter of 'tommy' is 't'.
'inscribe'+'an'+'item'='inscribeanitem'
'inscribeanitem' with letters rearranged gives 'cabinetminiser'.
'cabinetminiser' enclosing 't' is 'CABINET MINISTER'.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for cabinet minister that I've seen before include "member of government" , "May perhaps" , "high-ranking member?" , "senior politician" , "went down to provide 22 24 [WHISKY GALORE] - with 17d" .)