Crossword Genius

Keeping tax cuts agitated senior rep (12)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

preservation

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

'tax cuts agitated senior rep' is the wordplay.
'tax' becomes 'VAT' (Value-Added Tax).
'cuts' indicates putting letters inside (some letters cut their way into other letters).
'agitated' is an anagram indicator.
'senior'+'rep'='seniorrep'
'seniorrep' with letters rearranged gives 'preserion'.
'vat' going within 'preserion' is 'PRESERVATION'.

(Another definition for preservation that I've seen is " Keeping".)

I've seen this clue in The Telegraph.
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