Welcome to the Golden Dozen, and our 357th weekly round-up from the Lib Dem blogosphere … Featuring the seven most popular stories beyond Lib Dem Voice according to click-throughs from the Aggregator (8-14 December, 2013), together with a hand-picked quintet, normally courtesy of LibDig, you might otherwise have missed.

Don’t forget: you can sign up to receive the Golden Dozen direct to your email inbox — just click here — ensuring you never miss out on the best of Lib Dem blogging.

As ever, let’s start with the most popular post, and work our way down:

1.The bad name of the Liberal Democrats by Neil Monnery on The Rambles of Neil Monnery.
The idea that people have more info than ever about political parties but know less is an interesting one.

2. Guardian poll of party leaders gives  Clegg clear lead over his rivals by Richard Morris on A View from Ham Common.
And he has his kids to thank for it.

3. It’s beginning to look a lot like… a by-election in Richmond Park in February by Richard Morris on A View from Ham Common.
Is Richard’s crystal ball in good working order? Will Zac resign over Heathrow expansion?

4. By-election night 18 by Dan Falchikov on Living on words alone.
Dan’s weekly preview of by-elections.

5. The Paddy Effect: A poll for Lib Dems by Jennie Rigg on Give me liberty or give me death (preferably liberty).
Are you immune? Then you’re probably unique.

6. Promising signs as Lib Dems plan reform to system for appointing peers by Mark Pack on Mark Pack.
The leader must use it, though, argues Mark.

7. Go ahead for Kenilworth station at last by John Whitehouse on John Whitehouse.
Good news for the West Midlands.

And now to the five blog-posts that come highly recommended, regardless of the number of Aggregator click-throughs they attracted. These are normally chosen using the LibDig bookmarking website for party members, the site where you can highlight blog-posts you want to share with your fellow Lib Dems. Remember, though, you’re still more than welcome to nominate for the Golden Dozen a Lib Dem blog article published in the past seven days – your own, or someone else’s – using the steam-powered method of e-mail … all you have to do is drop a line to [email protected].

8. He can’t get them out of the Maidan by Cicero on Cicero’s Songs.
Scary moments in the Ukraine.

9. Were Ian Duncan Smith’s welfare reforms doomed from the start? by on .
Can the bureaucracy cope with the realities of our lives?

10. Labour losing votes locally through reticence by Iain Brodie-Brown on Birkdale Focus.
But if they change their policy, will their activists want to get the message out?

11. What’s wrong with a special shop for poor people? by David Boyle on The Real Blog.
You have to give people the chance to give something back, says David

12. Cameron’s “flirty blonde” is the Danish Prime Minister by Charlotte Henry on Digital Politico.
Another example of sexism, Daily Mail style.

And that’s it for another week. Happy blogging ‘n’ reading ‘n’ nominating.

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* Caron Lindsay is Editor of Liberal Democrat Voice and blogs at Caron's Musings. You can find her on Bluesky at caronmlindsay.bsky.social