Welcome to the Golden Dozen, and our 388th 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 (24-30 August, 2014), together with a hand-picked quintet, 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. Big Lib Dem win in Newcastle by Jonathan Wallace on Jonathan Wallace.
A humungous swing from Labour up north.

2. Lessons from Rennard #4: Who gets the Whip is a matter for the whole party by Mark Pack on Mark Pack.
Leaving the power over who gets the Whip with one group has served the party badly and that needs to change,  to a process independent of the parties involved says Mark.

3. The problems with Clegg by Ian Ridley on A Timely Reform.
There are still issues, and the leadership is not helping itself by making policy announcements without due consideration for the party, argues Ian.

4. Attend 115 Lib Dem conferences and win a free peerage by Paul Walter on Liberal Burblings.
Clickbait from Mr Walter – but worth it for the reminder of the late Simon Hoggart.

5. My vision of what the Clacton by-election will be like by Nick Tyrone on Nick Tyrone.
The phrase “biting satire” was invented for posts like this. And as painful for our own side as for everyone else.

6. Surprising discoveries in the Jenkins biography by Giles Wilkes on Free Thinking Economist.
Interesting observations about Jenkins’ life, reforms and relationships.

7. UKIP gets its “first” MP by Jonathan Fryer on Jonathan Fryer.
On the defection of Mr Carswell an how it’s “put a bit of vim” into the pre-Confernece season.

And now to the five blog-posts that come highly recommended, regardless of the number of Aggregator click-throughs they attracted. To nominate a Lib Dem blog article published in the past seven days – your own, or someone else’s, all you have to do is drop a line to [email protected]. You can also contact us via Twitter, where we’re @libdemvoice

8. The ice bucket challenge: why I’d rather not by Sam Phripp  on So Sam Said.
It’s much easier for charities to plan if they have longer term donations, and there’s the social pressure element.

9. Day 4983: Doctor Who. Breathing (obligatory Kate Bush reference)  by Richard Flowers  on The Very Fluffy Diary of Millennium Dome, Elephant.
You didn’t think you were going to get away without any reference to the Doctor’s return, did you?

10. Do the Police exist to serve the people or ar the people here to serve the Police? by Nick Barlow on What you can get away with.
Nick is unhappy with the Met’s most senior Policeman requesting, effectively, the end of the presumption of innocence.

11. Building critical masses by Dave Page on Jazz Hands, Serious Business.
Some suggestions for getting the party motivated and energised, because it only takes a few people to make a big difference. (Submitted by Hollie via email)

12. Justice for abused children goes beyond race by Maelo Manning on Lib Dem Child, aged 14.
The voice of a young person on the Rotherham abuse. “The distinction between ‘good’ and ‘bad’ children is a frightening discriminatory attitude and has no place in the world of children.” That that ever happened should make us all furious.

And as a bonus, a reminder that a random conversation with a stranger can make your day, as happened to Jennie this week.

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