Permits leader to abandon scaffold (6)

I believe the answer is:

allows

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'permits' is the definition.
(I know this)

I don't understand how the rest of the clue works.

(Other definitions for allows that I've seen before include "Permits, lets" , "Permits to do something" , "Tolerates" , "Sallow (anag.)" , "Grants leave" .)

I've seen this clue in The Daily Mail.

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