Across:
8 Indian pastry (SAMOSA) sides severed up (= reverse indicator) from a so-so Christmas (sides from ‘A SO-so christMAS’ = asomas = SAMOSA),
9 Fleshy or (fleshy or) hairy (= anagram indicator) (fleshy or = HORSEFLY) bloodsucker (HORSEFLY),
10 For most of 14 down (most of ‘cages’ without ‘s’ = CAGE) to pen? (CAGE),
11 Amidst the plot, The Globe’s (in the plot/garden/allotment, globe artichokes = ARTICHOKES) crafty type (ART-) from institute (-I-) folds under pressure, in the sporting sense (-CHOKES) (ARTICHOKES),
12 Sympathiser dismisses myths (‘sympathiser’ dismisses ‘myths’ = spaier = PERSIA) of the old country (PERSIA),
14 The Queen (CARD-) starting off (f)? Absolute (final) (‘final’ without ‘f’ = -INAL) (CARDINAL) ruler of the church locally! (CARDINAL),
15 Regular political opponent (SPARRING PARTNER) throws digs at challenger before the Ring engagement (SPARRING PARTNER),
18 Crazy (= anagram indicator) secrecy (secrecy = RECYC-ES) about Labour lead (‘Labour’ lead = -L-) (RECYCLES) plays into The Green’s agenda perhaps (RECYCLES),
20 Under no circumstances (no way = NO-WAY) include writing (from the 3Rs = -R-) (NORWAY) from the country (NORWAY),
22 Tax (Deposit Interest Retention Tax = DIRT-) on yard (-Y) and pound (MONEY) (DIRTY MONEY) relates to filthy lucre (DIRTY MONEY),
24 Shape (CLIP) of head, chest (head ‘Chest’ = C-), cheek? (-LIP) (CLIP),
25 Mate’s (mates = PARTNERS) parents (parents) working (= anagram indicator) (parents = PARTNE-S) around river (-R-) (PARTNERS),
26 University (U-) in Tonga (Tonga = NO-GAT) designed (= anagram indicator) (NOUGAT) by nutty, sweet type (NOUGAT).
Down:
1 March (pace = PA-CE) around the French (the = -LA-) (PALACE) chateau (PALACE),
2 Type of spy (MOLE) chewed up (up = reverse indicator) by Carole Lombard (chewed by ‘carolE LOMbard’ = elom = MOLE),
3 A (-A-) false (= anagram indicator) alarm (alarm = -LAMAR-) in Channel Islands (CI = C-I) (CALAMARI) producing seafood (CALAMARI),
4 Is not open (SHUT) close to women’s (close/end ‘womenS’ = S-) shelter (-HUT) (SHUT),
5 Car (model T-) driver (-RACER) (TRACER) is looking for what’s not easily visible (TRACER),
6 You’d expect this sort of person to get a rise (NEGOTIATOR) out of broker (NEGOTIATOR),
7 Drive a wedge between (ALIENATE) foreigner (ALIEN-) and partner (mate) heading off (m) (‘mate’ without ‘m’ = -ATE) (ALIENATE),
13 Unpleasant set of circumstances (SORRY STATE) for Virginia (US state of Virginia = STATE) behind (= position indicator) apology (SORRY) (SORRY STATE),
14 Homes provided for 2 down (mole) and 21 down (animal) (CAGES) in college (C-) for years (-AGES) (CAGES),
16 Pilot ace (pilot ace = POETICAL) flying (= anagram indicator) like when doing a job in Limerick (poem) (POETICAL),
17 Tiresome (ANNOYING) speaker losing the head (t) (‘tannoy’ without ‘t’ = ANNOY-) in (-IN-) government (-G) (ANNOYING),
19 First off (s), drop off (‘slumber’ without ‘s’ = LUMBER) the logs (LUMBER),
21 Certain to get away from Latin-American (‘certain’ to get away from ‘Latin-American’ = lamian = ANIMAL) tapir, for example (ANIMAL),
23 Rising (= reversal indicator) in Scots-English (in ‘scoTS-ENglish’ = tsen = NEST) cluster (NEST),
24 Guide (CLUE) is far from careful (‘far’ from ‘careful’ = ceul = CLUE).