Across:
8 Let go a (let go a = LEGATO) hammer (= anagram indicator) smoothly (LEGATO),
9 Militarily pull a fast one on (OUTFLANK) Trump? (trump/beat = OUTFLANK),
10 Isolated without lost (‘isolated’ without ‘lost’ = iaed = AIDE) member of staff (AIDE),
11 No pilau pot (no pilau pot = POPULATION) dish (= anagram indicator) for all the people (POPULATION),
12 Pre-election promise (TAX CUT) to charge (TAX-) Nick (nick = CUT) (TAX CUT),
14 Nora (-NORA-) is overwhelmed by parents (PA-MA) (PANORAMA) with one view (PANORAMA),
15 Band (band) loses the head (b) (‘band’ without ‘b’ = AND) after (=positional indicator) 26 across (‘hammer’ = HAMMER) is disappointed (SICK-) with the foreign (the = -LE) (HAMMER AND SICKLE) old standard (old standard/flag HAMMER AND SICKLE),
18 Save hide (save hide = ADHESIVE) disposing (= anagram indicator) of something sticky (ADHESIVE),
20 Engineering (E-) a (-A-) bizarre (= anagram indicator) rise (rise = -SIER) (EASIER) is getting less difficult (EASIER),
22 Does the boring work and finds the crude material? (STRIKES OIL) And that’s lucky! (STRIKES OIL),
24 Patriotism without the patois (‘patriotism’ without the ‘patois’ = rtim = TRIM) in Meath (TRIM),
25 Haughty (ARROGANT) answer (A-) to diatribe (-R-ANT) about capital’s rate of growth (capitals/first letters of “rate of growth” = -ROG-) (ARROGANT),
26 Pound (HAMMER) – one of the symbols of old European country? (HAMMER & Sickle).
Down:
1 It’s about (RE-) one of the Turners (-TINA Turner) (RETINA) the ophthalmologist has his eye on perhaps (RETINA),
2 Providing a terrible sample (‘providing a terrible’ sample = GATE) at the airport (GATE),
3 Come (COM-E) across place (-PUT-) for right (-R) (COMPUTER) terminal (COMPUTER),
4 Marco Polo’s got no morals (‘Marco Polos’ got no ‘morals’ = cpoo = COOP) to pen (COOP),
5 Hot (STOLEN) items from auction (lots = STOL-) returned (= reversal indicator) by workers (men) heading off (m) (‘men’ without ‘m’ = -EN) (STOLEN),
6 Prepares to travel (packs = P- -ACKS) around afterwards (later = -LATE- R-) (PLATE RACKS) with those from The Kitchen, helping the dishy types to dry out (PLATE RACKS),
7 Relaxed (INFORMAL), popular (IN-) class (-FORM-) for a (-A) student (learner = -L) (INFORMAL),
13 Rival (COMPETITOR) to nice little (Nice, France ‘little’ = -PETIT-) Italian lake (Lake Como = COM-O-) outside Roman capital (‘Roman’ capital = -R) (COMPETITOR),
14 Put down (penned) unfinished (d) (‘penned’ without ‘d’ = PENNE) pasta (PENNE),
16 It’s a dour (it’s a dour = AUDITORS) novel (= anagram indicator) for those listening in (AUDITORS),
17 Making a contribution secretively (STEALTHY) to the salty (the salty = STEALTHY) stew (= anagram indicator),
19 Turns up (= reversal indicator), soldier (GI = I- -G) caught Lincoln (Abe Lincoln = -E BA-) taking cocaine (-C-) (ICE BAG) for a muscular condition numbing the pain (ICE BAG),
21 Writers (ed + ed = ED-ED) admit it (-IT-) (EDITED) is suitable for publication (EDITED),
23 Guarantee (OATH) offers assurances to leader’s (“offers assurances to” leaders = OAT-) husband (-H) (OATH),
24 It’s fairly harmless (TAME) what’s in the First Amendment (what’s in the ‘First Amendment’ = TAME).