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I've finished the crossword but have had difficulty parsing some clues. Can anyone parse the following please:

31 down, 6,5: Middle-of-the-road leader on the right dismissed hawk.
Answer: MORTAR BOARD

51 down, 3: Cheer swift runner coming up - not quite to the echo.
Answer: RAH
Where does the swift runner come into it?

Thanks in advance to all you clever people out there!

51 Hare would be the swift runner. Not quite to the echo= drop the E, so Har. Coming up... Rah.

Hello there - I've just put a posting on about a difficult clue! Your clues are 31 Down - MOR (middle-of -the-road) + TARBOARD ("starboard" minus the "S") making MORTAR BOARD, of course, which is known by some as a "hawk" in the building trade.
The other one, swift runner is HARE, being reversed without its ending.

Very many thanks Rocketman and Malone. So frustrating when you get the answer but can't work it out!