Crossword Genius

England without leader? Fear losing leader in the distance (5-4)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

light-year

'distance' is the definition.
(I've seen this before)

'england without leader? fear losing leader' is the wordplay.
'england' becomes 'blighty' (Blighty is a nickname for Britain or England).
'without leader?' means to remove the first letter (I've seen 'without leader' mean this).
'losing leader' means to remove the first letter.
'blighty' with its first letter taken off is 'lighty'.
'fear' with its first letter removed is 'ear'.
'lighty'+'ear'='LIGHT-YEAR'

'in the' is the link.

I've seen this clue in The Times.
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