Polite bureaucrat? (5,7)
I believe the answer is:
civil servant
'polite bureaucrat?' is the definition.
The answer and definition can be both people as well as being singular nouns.
Perhaps they are linked in a way I don't understand?
'polite bureaucrat?' is the wordplay.
'polite' becomes 'civil' ('civil' can be a synonym of 'polite').
'bureaucrat?' becomes 'servant' (I am not sure about this - if you are sure you should give a lot more credence to this answer).
'civil'+'servant'='CIVIL SERVANT'
(Other definitions for civil servant that I've seen before include "Person working in the public sector" , "Government official" , "Government employee" .)