The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 10 letter word GRASSROOTS
I've seen this crossword clue in The Times
G
R
A
S
S
R
O
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More clues leading to the result GRASSROOTS
Buddy explains!

The straight part
We know that "ordinary people" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case ordinary people = grassroots.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.
What does GRASSROOTS mean?
GRASSROOTS adjective- Of, or relating to people or society at the local level, particularly in politics, social movements, etc.; of the grass roots.