Looked to shelter socialist (6)
I believe the answer is:
leered
'looked' is the definition.
(leering is a kind of looking)
'shelter socialist' is the wordplay.
'shelter' becomes 'lee' (as in lee side, the side sheltered from wind).
'socialist' becomes 'red' (red can informally mean a socialist).
'lee'+'red'='LEERED'
'to' is the link.
(Other definitions for leered that I've seen before include "Looked and smiled lasciviously" , "Looked or stared lasciviously" , "Looked lecherously" , "Look suggestively" , "Ogled" .)