Socialists getting around strike ultimately providing material for Thatcher (5)
I believe the answer is:
reeds
'providing material for thatcher' is the definition.
I can't tell whether this definition defines the answer.
'socialists getting around strike ultimately' is the wordplay.
'socialists' becomes 'reds' (red is a kind of socialist).
'getting around' indicates putting letters inside.
'ultimately' says to take the final letters.
The final letter of 'strike' is 'e'.
'reds' enclosing 'e' is 'REEDS'.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for reeds that I've seen before include "Tall grasses with hollow stems" , "pens for sheep" , "Stems for pens" , "Waterside plants" , "Marsh plants with tall straight stems" .)