Renewing a great tradition

One of the great traditions on PB has been the StJohn Christmas Crossword. The has been published on most Christmas days on the site since 2007. Its creator, StJohn, is one of quite a group of PBers who have been coming here almost since the site’s foundation in 2004. This is his 2018 offering. Enjoy.

Across clues

1 Restructuring of Israeli trio in government (11)

7 Half the Chancellor’s responsibility is growth (3)

9 Become less temporal, say, as a leaver (5,4)

10 Politician with a female’s point of view (5)

11 Kind of TV broadcaster to send back (7)

12 English newspaper breaking stories of sinister people (7)

13 Labour’s leader is a right one! (5)

15 Liberal in speech and far-reaching (9)

17 Wife left Prime Minister for a Duke (9)

19 Majestic drink from the East (5)

20 Lewis Hamilton ultimately hooked up with a film star (7)

22 Revolutionary broadcaster pursues wrong turn (7)

24 Former Foreign Secretary’s an excellent runner (5)

25 Screen close up of an unclear Brexit? (9)

27 It’s sticky when report into President has no case (3)

28 Political strategist upset Bevan in Number Ten’s reshuffle (5,6)

Down Clues

1 Party animal (3)

2 How Aitken’s accommodation once was costly? (5)

3 Perhaps Transport Minister might lead this? (7)

4 The French voters rioting over old President (9)

5 One possible Brexit outcome is the best (5)

6 A means to stir up opposition supporter (4,3)

7 Leaving about ten, it’s chilly outside (9)

8 Politician generating headlines effortlessly on vacation (5,6)

11 Member of “The Shadows” trained to be a bandit? (5,6)

14 Spinning image right about former Prime Minister (5,4)

16 Narrow line assumed by Rees-Mogg (9)

18 Out of habit people are mad about God (7)

19 Right honourable David Davies heads a constituency (7)

21 Lord Leon Brittan’s first exchange (5)

23 Society, by abandoning Labour leader, shows contempt (5)

26 Cook and Brown (3)