We'll be downing tools over the New Year bank holiday, resuming normal service on Tuesday 3rd January 2012. In the meantime, here are the 10 most-read blogs of 2011. Click here for a list of the most-read pieces on NS.com overall (including magazine articles).

1. Exclusive interview: Julian Assange on Murdoch, Manning and the threat from China | by New Statesman, 12 January 2011.

A Staggers blog previewing John Pilger's interview with the Wikileaks founder.

2. Preview: Richard Dawkins interviews Christopher Hitchens | by George Eaton, 13 December 2011

Exclusive extracts from the Hitchen's final interview, which was carried out by our Christmas guest editor Richard Dawkins.

3. What really happened in Trafalgar Square | by Laurie Penny, 27 March 2011

Laurie Penny reports from the anti-cuts march. Neither mindless nor violent, young protesters were forced into a stand-off with police.

4. You should have your tongue ripped out": the reality of sexist abuse online | by Helen Lewis-Hasteley, 3 November 2011

Female bloggers speak out about misogynist comments, rape threats and death threats.

5. Preview: Nick Clegg and Jemima Khan interview | by George Eaton, 6 April 2011

The Staggers excerpts the best bits from Jemima Khan's headline making interview with the Deputy Prime Minister: "Why are the students angry with you, Papa?"

6. Assange: "WikiLeaks is the intelligence agency of the people" | by New Statesman, 5 April 2011

The site chief discusses radical journalism and WikiLeaks's main threat in an exclusive New Statesman essay, which is previewed here.

7. Quote of the day: "Shut up, you homophobic cow" | by Duncan Robinson, 8 July 2011

An insight into the happy marriage of Rebekah Brooks and Ross Kemp.

8. Where now for the Goldstone report? | by John Dugard, 6 April 2011

In short, there are no new facts that could possibly have led Richard Goldstone to change his mind about the UN-backed investigation into Israel and the conflict in Gaza.

9. The Hugh Grant tapes | by New Statesman, 14 April 2011

The audio of Hugh Grant's secretly taped conversation with former News of the World journalist Paul McMullan.

10. Libya war: in pictures | by Samira Shackle, 21 March 2011

A photo gallery made after France, Britain and the US began attacks on Libya's army, airbases and other military targets.