This is a British style, diagramless cryptic crossword. The solution is:
The flavortext (a conversation between Andy and John), the political nature of some of the clues/answers, the title, and the explicit inclusion of the answer BUGLE should lead us to realize that this is a puzzle about the podcast The Bugle. The Bugle has run an “Audio Cryptic Crossword” feature in its early episodes; the grid for the crossword is identical to the grid for this puzzle. Both the grid and answers are available online.
The flavortext at the end hints that we should compare the two puzzles; do so and we will find that exactly 8 letters are at the same positions in both puzzles (marked red in the grid above). In order from top to bottom, these letters spell EPISODIC, which is the answer.
Across:
1. U(NIN)SUREr
5. DIES + fuEL
10. DIPLOMAt
11. X + F + ACTOR
12. BUG + LE
13. TOT + H(EB)ONE
14. ROBERT'S RULES (anag.)
18. LIGHTNI(N)G(R)OD (RIGHTING OLD anag.)
21. DETRACTOR (2 def.; "de-tractor")
23. shaRE A CHocolate (hid.)
24. ER(RAT)IC
25. GONE APE (PAGE ONE anag.)
26. SU(PER)B
27. ST(RE)AKER
Down:b>
1. US DEBT (BUSTED anag.)
2. IM + PU + tweetinG + N
3. SCO(PE SO)UT
4. READ THE RIO + TACT (I DARE OTHER anag.)
6. pIRATE
7. SE(ToGO)ALS
8. LARGESSE (LESS RAGE anag.)
9. EX + I + T STAGE RIGHT (GET STRAIGHT anag.)
15. RI(O + GRAN)DE
16. P + LEDGERS
17. A(GIT)PROPos
19. BAR + A + C + K
20. OH DEAR (A HORDE anag.)
22. AF(T)ER (FEAR anag.)