1-across – A look maintained by Starmer, with British sangfroid : APLOMB

5-across – Best ever performance from leftist full of goodness : RECORD

8-across – Son remains in Cambridge University to succeed : SMASHIT

9-across – Computer file appended to mail for researcher : POSTDOC

11-across – Dope and beer left in building for event involving parties : GENERALELECTION

12-across – See 18 : RAIN

13-across – Government naturally welcomes learner drivers here : GOLFCOURSE

17-across – Discouraging inaccurate activity on 13 : OFFPUTTING

18-across – Check revenue, gutted by tax : REST

20-across – Hammered pale worker’s failed balancing act : TIGHTROPEWALKER

23-across – Articles from Germany and the UK, say, about craze : DERANGE

24-across – Double whiskey brought in to Jacob’s dwelling? : TWOFOLD

25-across – Farage is hanging around charming companion : GEISHA

26-across – Helen’s lover speaking drunkenly in priest’s district : PARISH

2-down – Actor in a suit with no pattern turning up fine suit : PLAINTIFF

3-down – Parents mustn’t have married different people : OTHERS

4-down – During binge, sober stars pusillanimously withdraw : BOTTLEOUT

5-down – Drive back from Carlisle, perhaps heading north : REPEL

6-down – Singer Johnny Rotten’s no. 1 covered by one of The Police – a cultivated product : CASHCROP

7-down – Bones possibly set, with a different bit at the end? : RADII

8-down – TV magnate with fraudulent investing scoffed, given a sweetener : SUGARCOATED

10-down – Presumed crook judge ticked off loses head : CONJECTURED

14-down – Better to keep good list in a part of the index? : FINGERTIP

15-down – Queen upset king breaks often shaky, special bonds : REEFKNOTS

16-down – Regularly shout ‘cheats’ where politicians speechify : HUSTINGS

19-down – Figure holding Virginia up is Grace’s partner : FAVOUR

21-down – Current prince deprived of electronic stuff : GORGE

22-down – Endless test about case of police work at the Met : OPERA

1-across – A cat knocking over nice grey power source : ATOMICENERGY

9-across – Food group is regularly wrapped in paper : FRUIT

10-across – In America, it makes Joe eat fierce curry : CAFETIERE

11-across – 24 down bored by current Republican actor : OLIVIER

12-across – Yellow bird : CHICKEN

13-across – Heard spiel about car showroom : DEALERSHIP

15-across – Spot of blue material : SMUT

18-across – One dismissed by head cook : CHEF

19-across – Note wonderful fashion, I see : SUPERTONIC

22-across – A world-beating fine hotel : WALDORF

24-across – Touring end of pier eating assorted rock : GRANITE

25-across – It’s a crime to break truce : ARMISTICE

26-across – Old man sat cooking dish : PASTA

27-across – Rickety garden shed stores North American weapons : HANDGRENADES

1-down – A lecturer to ponder – starter’s missing salt : ALUMINATE

2-down – Sketches exposed columns : OUTLINES

3-down – Over race, I pick up bit of cramp and suffer : INCUR

4-down – Powerful drug, strong etc working in 5 : EFFECTIVE

5-down – Involve roughly 10 + 1 + 49? : ENTAIL

6-down – European consents to remove coat before king : GREEK

7-down – Give fines during road trip : AFFORD

8-down – Over £10 for an apple? : RENNET

14-down – Small tuft of hair? That’s right, more than tiddly : SQUIFFIER

16-down – Soldier meets elite soldiers to gather tops of trees, including small parts of logs : MANTISSAS

17-down – Bound to be caught after initially slogging : STRAPPED

18-down – Wife quietly wearing fur, treading carefully around this? : COWPAT

20-down – Monarch raising some plesiosaur : CAESAR

21-down – Drunk upset by heads of shandy, each drink chucked : TOSSED

23-down – Lover not finished with woman’s proposition : LEMMA

24-down – New information surrounding 19 : GREEN

1-across – Deprived fellow wearing hat : BEREFT

4-across – Male is leading bad behaviour : MISCHIEF

9-across – Great to eat quiet meal : SUPPER

10-across – Part of Shane’s cap is manufacturer’s fantasy : ESCAPISM

11-across – Investment in Peruvian cattle development : VENTURECAPITAL

13-across – Hinted Iris could be cut off : DISINHERIT

14-across – Froth starts to spill copiously upsetting mum : SCUM

16-across – Obnoxious person with a drink : SODA

18-across – Reason proposal includes one tank : MOTIVATION

21-across – Prepared sociable dinner of no great size : INCONSIDERABLE

23-across – Healthy rage secretary turned around getting drink : APERITIF

24-across – Draw wine arranged in rows : TIERED

25-across – Last nurse embracing love completely : ENDTOEND

26-across – Sell bike part on the radio : PEDDLE

1-down – Graduate having quiet party : BASH

2-down – Put down regarding journalists : REPRESS

3-down – Brief, short affair includes upstanding support : FLEETING

5-down – Poison from popular religious faction – one police investigate finally : INSECTICIDE

6-down – Charlie punches holding instruments : CLAMPS

7-down – Foolish jerk follows papers on moon : IDIOTIC

8-down – My fan mail redirected to patriarch perhaps : FAMILYMAN

12-down – Train heroic Byzantine speaker : RHETORICIAN

13-down – Detectives drink strange tea and scatter : DISSIPATE

15-down – Arsenal publication : MAGAZINE

17-down – Last month grass gets laid down : DECREED

19-down – Loutish setter will be around right before date : ILLBRED

20-down – Colour of home before excavation over : INDIGO

22-down – Unemployed individual demanding legitimate employment primarily : IDLE