Daily catch-up: religion, politics and roads named after dictators

All you need to distract you from the serious business of the election campaign

1. Thanks to Stuart for this photo of Stalin Road, Colchester, a late addition to my Top 10 Street Names.

I have plenty more where they came from (Twitter), but haven’t had time to assemble them into a longer list. After the election, perhaps.

Talking of roads named after dictators, Tom Doran draws my attention to an article about Pickaway, Ohio, that mentions a Hitler Road there – and a resident called Gay Hitler, who was son of a George Washington Hitler.

2. And talking of the election, I scored 6 out of 10 in the BBC’s Constituencies Quiz.

3. Isabel Hardman has a good commentary on a strange article by David Cameron on the meaning of Easter. Politicians and religion: they just never get it right. Michael Gove has written an article for The Spectator about the “pity” and “condescension” that Christians experience. More of the self-pitying narrative of persecution much favoured by the Daily Mail, I fear. The only thing worse than politicians talking about religion at Easter is that it is followed by the spirit-draining spectacle of the teachers’ union conferences doing their best to make schools worse.

4. Best canvassing story from Richard Angell, knocking on doors in Cumbernauld, Kilsyth and Kirkintilloch East for Gregg McClymont.

Me: “Any issues Gregg McClymont can help with?”

Voter: “Yes, too many people are voting SNP.”

Me: “We’re on it.”

5. Most doolally QTWTAIN I’ve seen in months, although that may be because I don’t spend time trawling American conspiracy websites. Thanks to Damian Counsell for spotting this one:

“Did Nimoy Fake His Death So He Could Seize Control of the Illuminati?”

6. And finally, our daily update from Moose Allain:

– Where are you going?

– Ponders End.

– That sounds like a punchline.

– Really? *ponders end*