The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 8 letter word CHARTIST
I've seen this crossword clue in The Daily Telegraph
C
H
A
R
T
I
S
T
More clues leading to the result CHARTIST
- Check with painter, one in old working-class movement
- Worker's champion bordering on clownish talent
- Church painter is a parliamentary reformer
- Church painter, perhaps, or reformer
- Church painter, one who hoped to reform
- Check on painter, a member of a working-class movement
- Gong given to performer who tried to bring reform?
- Church painter who supported reform
Buddy explains!
The straight part
We know that "a member of a working-class movement" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case a member of a working-class movement = chartist.The cryptic/wordplay part
In cryptic crossword there's often an wordplay/cryptic part as well.This part involves a more complex hint, such as an anagram, homophone, hidden word, etc.
Sadly, We don't have an explanation for this specific crossword clue yet.