So the answer to 8dn last week was YURA. God knows why. I surely don't. Easier this week. But note the rightist tendency of the politicians, one of whom isn't one any longer and is certainly not 23s partner! A couple of cock-ups: but not as bad as today's actual ST (#4368).
Across
1. SIROCCO. Rev CO(mpany) + CO(mpany) after SIR.
5. CABBAGE. Double def; the first being an obscure verb meaning to purloin. Something to do with tailors nicking bits of cloth. Hence "abstract".
9. ASSISTANT. Anag; but not enough letters in "satanist". Should have been plural.
10. SEALS. Bleeding obvious.
11. LISTEN. Anag; but it doesn't mean "hear" any more than "fish" (verb) means "catch fish".
12. SABOTAGE. Anag of "boat" in "sage". What French peasants did with their clogs.
14. WET BLANKET. Anag of "knew battle". Synonym for 22ac if you're 23ac.
16. STUN. Bleeding obvious.
18. BALD. "Lab" rev + D.
19. PERIPHERAL. "Peri" + P[Hera]L.
22. TURNBULL. Bleeding obvious. Aka "Dan Dare".
23. ABBOTT. "Abb" (a kind of yarn in the spinning sense) + over-the-top.
26. OUNCE. Del P from "pounce"; the (un)deletion indicator is crap. Our favourite crossword cat; and operating system.
27. PEPPER+ON+I.
28. SWEATER. Double def.
29. RE+SERVE.
Down
1. SWALLOW. Double def.
2. RASPS. S(pill) in anag of "spar".
3. COSTELLO. Anag of "cholesterol" minus "her"; the (un)deletion indicator is crap. My favourite cheese; but a bit high on the nose these days. See 24dn.
4. O+MAN.
5. COTTAGE + PIE.
6. B+IS+HOP. Needs "key ingredient OF IT", or some such. There were two bishops in bed; which one was the woman?
7. ALABASTER. Anag.
8. EP+STEIN. EP is an abbrev for "extreme pressure" (used in grading lubricants). How he managed so many sculptures and The Beatles is beyond me.
13. IN + T(ER+L)OPER.
15. TOLERANCE. Anag of "one" and "claret". "Fool" is the lousy anagind.
17. SHE + BEEN + S. If you can make "been" = "visited", you're probably a Mekon.
18. BUTT(ON)S.
20. LATRINE. Anag.
21. OBJECT. Double def.
24. O+DOUR. The latter as in "Angus".
25. SPA+R.
