Link to readme from description if you don't have edit rights on the repository.

app/views/projects/_home_panel.html.haml

@@ -21,6 +21,10 @@
         - if can?(current_user, :admin_project, @project)
           –
           %strong= link_to 'Edit', edit_project_path
+        - else
+          - readme = @repository.readme
+          = link_to project_blob_path(@project, tree_join(@repository.root_ref, readme.name)), class: 'btn btn-block' do
+            = readme.name
 
     - unless empty_repo
       .col-md-5