Change advocate dealing with ex (8)
I believe the answer is:
reformer
'ex' is the definition.
The answer and definition can be both people as well as being singular nouns.
Perhaps you can see a link between them that I can't see?
'change advocate dealing' is the wordplay.
'change' becomes 'reform' (reform is a kind of change).
'advocate dealing' becomes 'er' (I can't explain this - if you can you should believe this answer much more).
'reform'+'er'='REFORMER'
'with' is the link.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for reformer that I've seen before include "One dealing with abuses" , "Luther, perhaps" , "One changing for the better" , "One making improving changes" , "One who changes or improves, say, an organisation" .)