Crossword Genius

Bush to refuse to accept letter from old England (10)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

blackthorn

'bush' is the definition.
(blackthorn is a kind of bush)

'refuse to accept letter from old england' is the wordplay.
'refuse to accept' becomes 'black' (as in blacking or boycotting a business).
'letter from old england' becomes 'thorn' (historical letter of the alphabet).
'black'+'thorn'='BLACKTHORN'

'to' is the link.

(Other definitions for blackthorn that I've seen before include "Sloe bush" , "Sloe-bearing bush" , "Tree producing sloes" , "Tree bearing sloes" , "Sloe-bearing shrub" .)

I've seen this clue in The Times.
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