The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 3 letter word PAY
I've seen this crossword clue in The Times
P
A
Y
More clues leading to the result PAY
- Wages: penny a year
- Money for work and play, reduced by pounds
- Look sullen after accepting a year’s compensation?
- Right to leave political group, maybe the end of Labour
- Old man given year to settle up
- Every year, a year’s earnings?
- Secretary with variable income
- Drama with 50 checking out of the Parisian Grand — one finds somewhere to settle
- Go on about this reward in greens?
- Flimsy scenery, reportedly, for profitable screening?
Buddy explains!

The straight part
We know that "maybe the end of Labour" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case maybe the end of labour = pay.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 PAY mean?
PAY noun- Money given in return for work; salary or wages.
- To give money or other compensation to in exchange for goods or services.
- To discharge, as a debt or other obligation, by giving or doing what is due or required.
- To be profitable for.
- To give (something else than money).
- To be profitable or worth the effort.
- To discharge an obligation or debt.
- To suffer consequences.
- To admit that a joke, punchline, etc., was funny.
- Operable or accessible on deposit of coins.
- Pertaining to or requiring payment.
- To cover (the bottom of a vessel, a seam, a spar, etc.) with tar or pitch, or a waterproof composition of tallow, resin, etc.; to smear.