Top of the Blogs: The Lib Dem Golden Dozen #365

Welcome to the Golden Dozen, and our 365th 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 (9-15 February, 2014), 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. Lord Rennard and the Rubicon by Paul Walter on Liberal Burblings.
On the prospect of the matter ending up in the courts.

2. The weirdest online campaign tactic I’ve ever seen by Mark Pack on Mark Pack.
The phrase entirely counter-productive comes to mind.

3. “The top 10 most interesting politicians – I don’t think so” by Andy Strange on Andy Strange.
Andy is not impressed with the Independent’s list.

4. Nigel Farage dominates Lib Dem conference agenda by Charlotte Henry on Digital Politico.
I tweeted in pain when I first saw the UKIP leader’s photo in our conference agenda. Charlotte feels the same.

5. Where’s Sheryll? by Alex Folkes on A Lanson Boy.
A local MP who’s available to hang around with ministers but not to go to a local community meeting.

6. A light hearted observation of the PPC assessment process by Antiochian on LibDem Policy Wonk.
A close encounter with the Babushkas of Shifty Magna leaves him perplexed.

7. My Saturday as a patient in the acute medical unit of Southend hospital by Neil Monnery on The Rambles of Neil Monnery.
A tough day for Neil.

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. Bullying or a fair challenge? by Alastair Ross on Alastair Ross.
Alastair’s take on this week’s post independence currency shenanigans

9.When yes doesn’t mean yes? Er…no by Graeme Cowie on Predictable Paradox.
Graeme pulls apart suggestions that the UK government would ignore a yes vote in the independence referendum

10. Faminism and liberalism: As far as I’m concerned they are two aspects of the same thing by Jennie Rigg on Depositum Custodi.
It’s all about freeing individuals from the judgement and expectations of the patriarchy. (Submitted by Jennie via Twitter.)

11. This is why Clare Balding went to Sochi by Charlotte Henry on Digital Politico.
A brilliant wee dig at Putin from the nation’s favourite sports presenter.

12.Vulnerability by Louise Shaw on From one of the jilted generation.
Musing on Davina McCall’s willingness to be shown at her most vulnerable this week, Louise says that we resist showing vulnerability but it’s the only way we can truly connect with others.

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

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