7d Dog collar (Spooner was a Reverend) - 'dollar' (note, about) 'o(rator's) g(arbled) c(omments)' (originally)
11a Delegate touring vale, heading north in a completely different direction (2,1,7)
At a tangent - 'agent' (delegate, touring) 'ta-ta (vale; farewell) n(orth)'
Theme is vague, yes.