Progressive Labour Party by-election hopeful Ashfield De Vent has appealed for fellow candidates to keep religion out of politics.

His call came after independent candidate Dennis Bean said he would aim to serve God first and the community second, views echoed by United Bermuda Party candidate Reverend Leonard Santucci.

The three are battling it out for the Pembroke East Central by election scheduled for November 26.

Mr. Bean said: "I maintain integrity and accountability to God first and then to the community at large."

Rev Santucci was asked whether God or the community would come first. He said: "I have to say in terms of how the question is phrased then God. But I would also say God has called me to a life serving the church community. Church is a community from within the broader community. So they are the same at the end of the day."

Mr. De Vent said: "I am hoping religion stays out of this campaign."

However Mr. De Vent said he did believe in God.

Asked if it was a Christian God, Mr. De Vent said: "I think those are personal things.

"As the bible said `In my house there are many mansions. I am not here to preach, convert or judge somebody's lifestyle. I am here to help the community as much as I can. Any judgement has to come from a higher place."

Mr. De Vent said church and state should never mix. "You are going to begin a conflict right there because who's to say whose church is the right church?"

However both his opponents disagreed.

Mr. Bean said there could be no distinction as religious beliefs affected personal behaviour.

Rev. Santucci agreed and said separating church from state was an American phenomenon.

He said: "At the end of the day I see no separation between the two. God created the world and the state."

Asked whose side God was on in the by election Rev. Santucci said: "God doesn't have to take sides because at the end of the day he is not going to lose."