Crossword Genius

Elects Conservative - I’m sorry about that ultimately (6)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

coopts

'elects' is the definition.
(coopt can mean to elect to a committee)

'conservative i'm sorry about that ultimately' is the wordplay.
'conservative' becomes 'C' (UK political abbreviation).
'i'm sorry' becomes 'oops' ('oops' is said to acknowledge a mistake).
'about' is an insertion indicator.
'ultimately' suggests the final letters.
The last letter of 'that' is 't'.
'oops' placed around 't' is 'oopts'.
'c'+'oopts'='COOPTS'

I've seen this clue in The Independent.
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