Loyalist group kept in touch (7)
I believe the answer is:
patriot
'loyalist' is the definition.
(I've seen this before)
'group kept in touch' is the wordplay.
'group' becomes 'trio' (a group of three).
'kept in' indicates putting letters inside.
'touch' becomes 'pat' (pat is a kind of touch).
'trio' inserted within 'pat' is 'PATRIOT'.
(Other definitions for patriot that I've seen before include "One supporting country" , "A lover of fatherland" , "One loving their country" , "New England sportsman" , "One who loves his or her country" .)