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Questions politician skirted by using rambling (7)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

impugns

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'questions' is the definition.
The definition and answer can be both to do with communicating as well as being verbs in their -s form.
Maybe you can see a link between them that I don't see?

'politician skirted by using rambling' is the wordplay.
'politician' becomes 'MP' (Member of Parliament).
'skirted by' is an insertion indicator ('skirt' can mean 'circle' or 'go around').
'rambling' indicates anagramming the letters.
'using' with letters rearranged gives 'iugns'.
'mp' going inside 'iugns' is 'IMPUGNS'.

Can you help me to learn more?

(Other definitions for impugns that I've seen before include "Disputes the honesty of" , "Criticises" , "Challenges" .)

I've seen this clue in The Times and The Sunday Times.
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