THE National Secular Society is a pressure group that fights for the rights of non-believers and opposes religious privilege.

Celebrity supporters include Sir Ludovic Kennedy, Sir Jonathan Miller, playwright Harold Pinter and TV agony aunt Claire Raynor.

The society's vice-president, Terry Sanderson, said vicars like any other citizen were entitled to take part in the democratic process, but it was important electors knew precisely what they were getting.

"Is Mr Sterry going to make council decisions on a political or religious basis? The two sometimes come into conflict and it is important that people voting for him know exactly where his true allegiance lies.

"There are two clergymen on my local council, Ealing in London. One is a true democrat, who supports his party and does not allow his religion to dictate his appproach. The other is an evangelical, who tries to force a religious perspective on all council policy.

"I'm not sure people who voted for him realised what they were getting, because he presented himself as a Conservative Party candidate but was pushing a personal agenda.

"The Pope recently told Catholic politicians that they must support Catholic doctrine first and their conscience second.

"Will Mr Sterry be tempted to put his religious beliefs before the wishes of the electorate? He needs to let them know where he's coming from, before they cast their vote.

"Generally we think politics and religion should keep to their own territory. In a multi-faith country, where huge numbers of the population have no religion, it's wrong for religious people to insinuate themselves into the political process. I'm not saying that Mr Sterry would do this, but there's always a danger."