Embraces Conservative measures to tackle left (8)
I believe the answer is:
clinches
'embraces' is the definition.
(clinch is a kind of embrace)
'conservative measures to tackle left' is the wordplay.
'conservative' becomes 'C' (UK political abbreviation).
'measures' becomes 'inches' (inch is a kind of measure).
'to tackle' means one lot of letters goes inside another (tackle can mean to take hold of).
'left' becomes 'l' (common abbreviation).
'c'+'inches'='cinches'
'cinches' going around 'l' is 'CLINCHES'.
(Other definitions for clinches that I've seen before include "Tight grips in boxing" , "finally settles" , "Tight or amorous embraces, in the boxing ring" .)