Crossword Genius

Study in group including party leader (7)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

inspect

'study' is the definition.
(inspecting is a kind of studying)

'in group including party leader' is the wordplay.
'group' becomes 'sect' (I've seen this in other clues**).
'including' means one lot of letters goes inside another.
'party leader' becomes 'p' (I've seen this in other clues).
'sect' enclosing 'p' is 'spect'.
'in'+'spect'='INSPECT'

(Other definitions for inspect that I've seen before include "Check" , "Examine or survey" , "vet" , "Look at closely" , "Study" .)

I've seen this clue in The Telegraph.
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