Across:
8 Felt hat (FEDORA) he removed from forehead ('he' removed from 'forehead' = foread = FEDORA),
9 Ran homes (ran homes) all over the place (= anagram indicator) (ran homes = HORSEMAN) for jockey (HORSEMAN),
10 Nocturnal flighty types (BATS) arrested by constables (arrested by ‘conSTABles’ = stab) going all the way back (= reverse indicator) (stab = BATS),
11 Those showing their wares (EXHIBITORS) to former (EX-) British (British = -HIBIT-RS) doctor (= anagram indicator) around Oxford (-O-) (EXHIBITORS),
12 It’s not us (it’s them = THE M-) losing the head (j) with Biblical figure (‘Job’ without ‘j’ = -OB) (THE MOB) – it could be the wise guys (the “wise guys” = the Mafia = THE MOB),
14 Tense (tense) play (= anagram indicator) (tense = -SENTE-) taken in by Lincoln (Abe Lincoln = AB-E) (ABSENTEE) – The Man Who Wasn’t There? (ABSENTEE),
15 It’s a daily challenge (daily/newspaper challenge = CROSSWORD PUZZLE) for Charlie (C-) and Ross (-ROSS-) Fox (PUZZLE) following (= position indicator) the news (-WORD) (CROSSWORD PUZZLE),
18 Sporting lady paid out (‘sporting lady’ without ‘paid’ = sortngly = STRONGLY) solidly (STRONGLY),
20 Creationist has no taste (‘creationist’ has no ‘taste’ = crioni = IRONIC) for what’s sarcastic (IRONIC),
22 At one’s wits’ end (DISTRAUGHT) with hash (= anagram indicator) – drugs that (drugs that = D-STRAUGHT) circulate island (-I-) (DISTRAUGHT),
24 Sample of Crème de Cacao (sample of ‘crèmE DE Cacao’ = edec)? On reflection (= reverse indicator) (edec = CEDE), I’ll give you that! (CEDE),
25 Time to retire (NIGHT) after (= position indicator) foul (foul) broadcast (= homophone indicator) (‘foul’ = ‘fowl’ = HEN) (HEN NIGHT) of social that appeals to one joining a two-party system? (HEN NIGHT),
26 Renovators root out (‘renovators’ ‘root’ out/without “root” = envars = RAVENS) a number of birds (RAVENS).
Down:
1 Director (D-) from Trust initially ('Trust' initially = -T-) involved in each (E-ACH) (DETACH) rip off (DETACH),
2 Characters in upcoming (= reversal indicator) business obsessed (characters in ‘busineSS OBsessed’ = ssob = BOSS) with big cheese (BOSS),
3 What thief might do in the pit (steal a bow in orchestra pit = TAKE A BOW) to acknowledge admirers (TAKE A BOW),
4 Sharpshooter missing trooper’s (‘sharpshooter’ missing ‘troopers’ = shah = SHAH) old leader (SHAH),
5 British (B-) piece of beef (-RIB-) from English (-E-) extreme butchers (extreme ‘butcherS’ = -S) (BRIBES) has illegal sweeteners (BRIBES),
6 A place where kids are in contact with other kids (young goats in children’s PETTING ZOO) and where they get their hands on The Three Little Pigs? (PETTING ZOO),
7 A reasonable price (FAIR DEAL) from Clement (merciful/fair = FAIR) Wood (pine wood/ deal = DEAL)? (FAIR DEAL),
13 Short (s) address (‘miss’ without ‘s’ = MIS-) by Lady Luck (-FORTUNE) (MISFORTUNE) in Hard Times perhaps (MISFORTUNE),
14 Order (order/range = ARRAY) from marshal? (ARRAY),
16 Old family servant (RETAINER) is not the first (‘Not’ the first = -N-) taken in by Eritrea (Eritrea) unrest (= anagram indicator) (Eritrea = RETAI-ER) (RETAINER),
17 They’re responsible for the sketches (PAINTERS) of new (= anagram indicator) pantries (pantries = PAINTERS),
19 Chain of mountains (-RANGE) behind (= position indicator) great (G-) (GRANGE) country house (GRANGE),
21 Nick (INDENT) is one (I-) getting to study (-DEN-) surrounded by good books (New Testament = -N-T) (INDENT),
23 Concealed by Greta Garbo (concealed by ‘grETA Garbo’ = etag) setting up (= reverse indicator) (etag = GATE) theatre (GATE Theatre),
24 Some eccentric – a vegetarian (some ‘eccentriC A VEgetarian’ = CAVE) left holding the wine (CAVE).