### Clue: 17 accomplished nothing with firm and in government (4,7)
### Answer: DIDO HARDING 
 ### Explanation: Definition: 17
 DID(accomplished/achieved) + O(letter representing 0/nothing) **plus**(with) HARD(firm/set) **plus**(and) IN + G(abbrev. for "government").
Defn: A Baroness/solution to 17 down, who also happens to be in Parliament/an arm of the UK government.
Another topical reference.