Former PM to show lack of respect for artist and priest (8)
I believe the answer is:
disraeli
'former pm' is the definition.
(Victorian prime minister Benjamin Disraeli)
'show lack of respect for artist and priest' is the wordplay.
'show lack of respect for' becomes 'dis' (as in dissing someone).
'artist' becomes 'RA' (Royal Academician, member of Royal Academy of Arts).
'and' says to put letters next to each other.
'priest' becomes 'eli' (biblical figure).
'dis'+'ra'+'eli'='DISRAELI'
'to' acts as a link.
(Other definitions for disraeli that I've seen before include "Raise lid on this old British prime minister" , "English PM and novelist" , "Benjamin -, nineteenth century PM" , "Ali dries out for the former British prime minister" , "Victorian prime minister" .)