Possible Clues:

• Gossip
• Address top Tory inside with legend about race gossip
• Idle gossip
• Abstainer, wearing hat, with story about another? That's gossip
• Light, informal conversation
• 'A little bird' let out tawdry stuff - let out this?
• Gossip is that we hear the bird will lie about the races
• Singer let out story about abstainer - it's mere gossip
• ... gossip ...
• Gossip - tiny amount that¹s dry found in story