Permit - strange to relate (8)
I believe the answer is:
tolerate
'permit' is the definition.
(tolerating is a kind of permiting)
'strange to relate' is the wordplay.
'strange' is an anagram indicator.
'to'+'relate'='torelate'
'torelate' anagrammed gives 'TOLERATE'.
(Other definitions for tolerate that I've seen before include "Stomach" , "Be indulgent" , "Family relative" , "Abide" , "Treat fairly" .)