£150 prize to the first correct solution opened on 27th February 2026.
Across
8 Tempting to switch sides, being a monarch (6)
9 Imprudent time to reduce the stage appearances (8)
10 "Led astray in one of Epstein's homes? Not I" – ex-peer (9)
12 Head of Dept. involved in, say, Barbie award (5)
13 Shaft our national leaders for fake material (5)
14 Mocking Clegg not quite fitting into lacy creation (7)
17 Semi-nude cast going round some place east (7)
19 Many jerks ruin the country! (7)
20 "NO WAY IT'S MY IMMIGRATION TEAM!" Donald at first remarked (7)
22 Delusion of Democrat: to have a following of many papers (5)
25 Group of wives shoot male (5)
27 Recall miners messing with ICE (9)
28 Those commonly held back by tosser playing for the county (8)
29 Shed attached to the French chateau (6)
1 Border enforcement chief, in case London's not as bad as Farage & co claim (5,4)
2 Pence temporarily given immunity at last, which is more than sufficient (6)
3 Funeral introduces new form of detention (10)
4 Far-right broadcaster producing book soon about "Nationalism chiefly" (6)
5 Arse-over-tip police force's making arrest (4)
6 Swinger's nude balls hidden by fruit (8)
7 Chant "Trump's almost content" (5)
11 They come in twos, bashes (5)
15 And Corbyn, pissed, stifles half-laugh – bastard's gone for a drink (10)
16 Announcer POTUS put off ("No depth!")
(9)
18 View of old Republican stuffing a foreign country (8)
19 Precocious girl turns up without changing (5)
21 See 26dn.
23 Injured arse (raised pimple)
– I must go for a substitute (6)
24 Elected Conservative put on tights? (5)
26/21dn. Nick, coach has itch to back a leader on Trump's hate list (4,6)



























