33d Lightweight - 'light (land) weight ("wait"; stop, heard)'
35d By-election - 'bye (extra; cricket) lection ([a] reading)'
44a "...pr OGRESS ive..."
49a Making the most of it - 'making the most o (nothing) fit (suitable)'
53a Esmerelda - 'me' (first person, in) anag 'leaders'