Across:
1 Piece of countryside greenbelt (piece of ‘countryside greenbelt’ = de gree = DEGREE) comes with a qualification (DEGREE),
4 A scoop of (ICE CREAM) rice came (rice came = ICE CREAM) prepared (= anagram indicator),
9 Criminal (C-ON) jumps over the top (‘over the top’ = -OTT-) (COTTON) with raw material used for making sheets (COTTON),
10 English (E-) gestures (-MOTIONS) (EMOTIONS) in Love/Hate (EMOTIONS),
12 Given the job (APPOINTEE) and its pressure (-P-) – what’s the objective (-POINT-) taking ecstasy (-E-) in A&E? (A-E) (APPOINTEE),
13 Whatever way you look at it (= palindrome indicator / spelt the same backwards), flat (LEVEL) might be picked up cheaply by a bricklayer, on balance (LEVEL),
14 Measurements from an experiment (OBSERVATIONS) soon vibrates (soon vibrates = OBSERVATIONS) all over the place (= anagram indicators),
18 Suggests it’s not compulsory (NO OBLIGATION) to jeer (boo = -O OB-) retiring (= reversal indicator) leaders left in Government (leaders ‘left in Government’ = -LIG-) in Ireland, for one (nation = N- -ATION) (NO OBLIGATION),
21 Some of those in Barcelona irritated (some of those in ‘Barcelona irritated’ = ona ir = ON AIR) by broadcasting (ON AIR)
22 Manage (RUN-) a (-A-) number of events in Ring (number of events in boxing ring = -BOUTS) (RUNABOUTS) with cars (RUNABOUTS),
24 Cover (FILM) for cold (C-) mouthy type (-LIP) (FILM CLIP) in trailer (trailer/preview = FILM CLIP),
25 Looking back (= reversal indicator), it’s a pity (alas = -SALA) Dawn (morning = am = MA-) (MASALA) produced something spicy (MASALA),
26 Consider in new light (REASSESS), unfinished (l) genuine (‘real’ without ‘l’ = REA-) ships (-SS-SS) on both sides of Spain (-E-) (REASSESS),
27 Governesses get rid of songs (‘governesses’ get rid of ‘songs’ = verese = SEVERE) that can be intensely harsh (SEVERE).
Down:
1 Heard talking to the secretary writing things down (DICTATOR) for slave driver (DICTATOR),
2 Theatre (GATE- Theatre) appointment (-POST) (GATEPOST) is a mutual confidant – that’s between you and me (phrase “between you and me and the gatepost” = GATEPOST),
3 Ran away from Caroline (‘ran’ away from ‘Caroline’ = colie = E COLI) producing a bad strain (E COLI),
5 Contests (COMPETITIONS) this is to keep up with the Joneses (the COMPETITION-) at school (-S) (COMPETITIONS),
6 Spies (C-IA) protecting a (-A-) Hawk’s part (-TALON-) (CATALONIA) in European region looking for independence perhaps (CATALONIA),
7 Make progress (EVOLVE) in Spain (E-), love (love = -VOL-E) sick (= anagram indicator) over Victor (-V-) (EVOLVE),
8 Local thug (MUSCLE) would be legless without it (MUSCLE),
11 The seeds from Wexford (STRAWBERRIES) – the favourites at Wimbledon (STRAWBERRIES),
15 What Thatcher is responsible for (thatcher works on ROOF) tortures (RACKS) (ROOF RACKS) those having to bear the baggage for the long road perhaps (ROOF RACKS),
16 Reproduce (SIMULATE) Muesli (Muesli = SIMUL-E) mix (= anagram indicator) containing first of the almonds (first of the ‘almonds’ =-A-) and last of the fruit (last of the ‘fruit’ = -T-) (SIMULATE),
17 Worried (IN A STATE) how you might find Houston? (Houston is IN A STATE / in Texas),
19 Take soundings about (CONFER) trick (CON-) to rise (= reversal indicator) the man in the middle (ref = -FER) (CONFER),
20 Review (= reversal indicator) had (had = DAH-) fairly (half of) lied (half of ‘lied’ = -LI-) about introduction (‘about’ introduction = -A) (DAHLIA) by Mexican type in the plot (DAHLIA),
23 Young man (-LAD-) in Belgium (B-E) (BLADE) sometimes has a reputation for cutting it fine (BLADE).