Welcome to the Golden Dozen, and our 486th weekly round-up from the Lib Dem blogosphere … Featuring the five most popular stories beyond Lib Dem Voice according to click-throughs from the Aggregator (20-26 August, 2017), together with a hand-picked seven 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. Ruth Davidson, racism and the modern non apology apology by Jonathan Calder on Liberal England.
The Scottish Tory leader may not be as progressive as first thought.

2. Laura “no mates” Pidcock MP by Jonathan Wallace on Jonathan Wallace.
Jonathan takes the MP to task for saying that you can’t be friends with the opposition.

3. Why I never bought the Corbyn line on Traingate by Jonathan Calder  on Liberal England.
It was still a botched media stunt, however you look at it, says Jonathan.

4. Is “centrist” being used more often now? by Nick Barlow on What you can get away with.
It seems so, but why?

5. How the left is stuck in the first stage of grief -and what that is doing to the Corbynist agenda by Nick Tyrone on NickTyrone.com.
It’s all about train carriages and not about challenging the Government’s dodgy statements on Brexit.

And now to the seven 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

6. Politics and mindfulness. Unlikely bedfellows? by Charlotte Newman on Your Political Blog .
If only politicians could be kinder and more compassionate towards each other….

7. Things to do the night before results day by Maelo Manning on Libdemchild aged 17.
Sound advice from Maelo. Incidentally, Libdemchild is no more. Maelo turned 18 on Friday, so Happy Birthday to her and we hope that her adulthood is as successful as her childhood.

8. Calling me an “f***ing Paki” does not make me feel like I am enabling your right to free speech by Jane Chelliah on Feminist Mama.
The effects of racism – and how its victims feel it more when the likes of Farage are in the headlines.

9. My #Remainers Diary Day 300 by Jo Hayes on Jo Hayes.
What happens if the Scottish and Welsh legislatures reject the Brexit Bills?

10. Giving yourself credit by Rebecca Plenderleith on Some Ramblings.
A candid account of coming through 6 years of illness, loss and pain.

11. A display of national arrogance and egoism  by Chris Bowers  on Chris Bowers .
Got to love an article that starts “this will get me into trouble”

12. We’re a party for all, not of the centre, a party of government not opposition  by Ewan Hoyle on Ewan has something to say.
Be confident because our values and policies have the best interests of our citizens at heart.

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