A candidate's religious background- whatever faith or none- is not something that would affect my choice in how to vote. However, what would affect my choice is the degree of extremism, the questions about tolerance, religious and otherwise, the way religion is used- or not- in political speeches, and the extent to which religion is seen as a 'defining' factor.

Our Prime Minister, Gordon Brown, makes much of being a 'son of the manse'- and his attitudes have been strongly shaped by his Scottish Christian upbringing. He does not, however, choose to surround himself with others who share those attitudes alone, nor does he do religion publicly-we do less of that anyway in the UK. His strong moral stance is very welcome, and I warm to it- if he were intolerant, he would drive many of us away- whether that were religious or other intolerance. I think we would also be uncomfortable here in the UK with public prayer breakfasts etc- despite our established Church, religion is quite a private matter here.

Halloween seems to me to beg lots of questions, not least the custom of children 'trick or treating' around the streets of London, becoming an increasing nuisance.

For us, it's an American import, and sits uncomfortably with our previously commonplace Guy Fawkes night on November 5, which has a strong anti-Catholic undertone- Guy Fawkes having been one of the so-called Papist plotters of the Gunpowder Plot, who were going to blow up the Houses of Parliament in 1605. On Guy Fawkes (Bonfire) night there are fireworks, a huge bonfire, and a model 'guy' is burned on top of the bonfire, whilst in the weeks before children go around the streets collecting 'a penny for the guy, mister.....'

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