Across:
8 Short (LITTLE) mini? (LITTLE),
9 Impossible to contradict (IRONCLAD) element (IRON-) at college (-C-) working with horses (-LAD) (IRONCLAD),
10 Side (TEAM) of butcher’s (butchers = anagram indicator) meat (meat = TEAM),
11 Fruit (LIME-) pips (-STONES) (LIMESTONES) found in the pyramids (pyramids made with LIMESTONES),
12 Let out of bell tower (‘let’ out of ‘bell tower’ = blower = BOWLER) to go on ahead (BOWLER hat goes on a head),
14 Spike (DRUG) is the father (The Father = LORD) (DRUG LORD) of person selling the illegal medication (DRUG LORD),
15 Take issue with (DISPUTE THE FACTS) Barney (barney = DISPUTE) and burglaries (thefts = THE F-TS) around adult (-A-) club (-C-) (DISPUTE THE FACTS),
18 Made a fuss about (STRESSED) (desserts = STRESSED) sent back (= reversal indicator),
20 It follows, the question (ANSWER follows the question) is key (ANSWER),
22 Detective (P-I-) rings the German (the = der = -RED-) back (= reversal indicator) on line (-CABLE) (PREDICABLE) – is that only to be expected? (PREDICABLE),
24 Hostility (HATE) to 12 across, for one (‘bowler’ = HAT-), from Spain (-E-) (HATE),
25 Lance (spear) dropped one off (s) (‘spear’ without ‘s’ = PEAR) to meet Holly (TREE) (PEAR TREE) in the conference centre presumably (PEAR TREE is in the conference centre presumably),
26 Barbara (Babs) loses the head (b) (‘Babs’ without ‘b’ = ABS-) with old city (-UR-) director (-D) (ABSURD) in type of theatre (Theatre of the ABSURD).
Down:
1 Had a lot to say in Rome (CICERO) to officer (commanding officer = C-O) covering up rice (rice = -ICER-) production (= anagram indicator) (CICERO),
2 Patriotism lacks spirit (‘patriotism’ lacks ‘spirit’ = atom = ATOM), a little bit (ATOM),
3 The Underground (CELLAR-) and French (French ‘and’ = -ET) (CELLARET) Cabinet historically stocked wine and spirits (historically, a cabinet/sideboard for drinks = CELLARET),
4 Among narcissi, a mixture (among ‘narcissi a mixture’ = SIAM) from the old country (SIAM),
5 Sample of catch on shuttle (sample of ‘catch on shuttle’ = HONSHU) in Japanese waters (HONSHU island),
6 Church (-CH-) loses the head (f) with idiot (‘fool’ without ‘f’ = -OOL-) from department (-D) in States (states = says = S-AYS) (= SCHOOLDAYS) for teaching the students a number of lessons (SCHOOLDAYS),
7 Drink (WATER) with retiring (= reversal indicator) sailor (tar = RAT) (WATER RAT) – a little hairy fellow who’s a good swimmer (WATER RAT),
13 They’re following the mouthy movement, in a manner of speaking (LIP-READERS), for patron of the library (-READER-) in the margins (LIP-S) (LIP-READERS),
14 Middle East dumped limes (‘Middle East’ dumped ‘limes’ = ddeat = DATED) past their sell-by-date (DATED),
16 Shut up (INTERNED) trainee (INTERN-) working on the paper (-ED) (INTERNED),
17 Keep one’s distance from (EVADE) Spike’s (‘tacks’ = ‘TAX) reports (= homophone indicator) (EVADE TAX) and advice from The Dodgers (EVADE TAX),
19 Be on the safe side (SECURE) with breakdown (= anagram indicator) rescue (rescue = SECURE),
21 Resent (resent = ENTERS) running (= anagram indicator) records (ENTERS),
23 Local criticism (BEEF) to offend (‘off’ end = -F) honey producer (BEE-) front the start (= positional indicator) (BEEF),
24 Empty (u) dwelling (‘house’ without ‘u’ = HOSE) is used by the gardener watering The Gardens (HOSE).