Hits back, crushing Conservative successor (5)
I believe the answer is:
scion
'successor' is the definition.
The answer and definition can be both people as well as being singular nouns.
Maybe they are linked in a way I don't understand?
'hits back crushing conservative' is the wordplay.
'hits back' becomes 'sion' (I can't justify this - if you can you should believe this answer much more).
'crushing' is an insertion indicator (inserted letters are crushed by others).
'conservative' becomes 'C' (UK political abbreviation).
'sion' enclosing 'c' is 'SCION'.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for scion that I've seen before include "Branch" , "Descendent - heir" , "Young shoot/twig" , "Offshoot" , "Plant shoot; descendant of a noble family;" .)