Popular leader embracing left causes suspicion (7)
I believe the answer is:
inkling
'suspicion' is the definition.
(I've seen this before)
'popular leader embracing left' is the wordplay.
'popular' becomes 'in'.
'leader' becomes 'king' (King is an example**).
'embracing' means one lot of letters goes inside another.
'left' becomes 'l' (common abbreviation).
'king' placed around 'l' is 'kling'.
'in'+'kling'='INKLING'
'causes' acts as a link.
(Other definitions for inkling that I've seen before include "Glimmer of understanding" , "Clue" , "Slightest idea" , "Slight suggestion or vague understanding" , "Intimation" .)