Christian Groups 'Annoyed' At Reform Conference Held In Church House

27 February 2026
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Catherine WyattBBC spiritual affairs


A number of Christian groups have actually spoken of their "shock and dissatisfaction" that Reform UK was enabled to utilize the Church of England's headquarters for an interview.


They stated the party's migration policies were opposed to Church beliefs and teachings.


leader Nigel Farage announced his new leading group at a press conference in the Assembly Hall at Church House in Westminster last week.


The party stated the criticism was "little more than a cheap political stunt".


Church House, whose lettings policy says it does decline bookings from groups which "promote racial prejudice", said it ran on a business basis, and was not part of the Church of England.


Christians for a Welcoming Britain stated it was "outraged" that Church House had allowed Reform UK to utilize the place, which it developed the impression the Church provided its "blessing" to "hostile policies and divisive rhetoric".


Other organisations and parties - including the Conservatives and Labour - have actually previously utilized the venue, as have Reform several times.


But it was their newest occasion, hosted inside the chamber where the Church of England had just the week before held its nationwide assembly, General Synod, which triggered the greatest stir.


Christians from the groups Better Story, Christians Against the Far Right and Christians for a Welcoming Britain, have actually composed to Church House to grumble.


In his letter, Reverend Keith Brindle, a Church of England priest in Frome, and planner of Christians Against the Far Right, composed that the venue had actually been "used as an ethical backdrop for policies that oppose the very heart of the Christian faith".


He wrote: "Church House has actually offered a veneer of spiritual authenticity to Reform's anti-migrant and anti-Muslim politics, and their cynical scapegoating.


"As followers of Jesus, we need to refuse to let the architecture of our faith be used to endorse the dehumanisation of our neighbours.


"The Church must be a sanctuary for the displaced, not a platform for their expulsion."


At Reform UK's occasion, Zia Yusuf was revealed as the celebration's lead on home affairs, with a concentrate on cutting legal and unlawful migration.


The party has considering that revealed strategies to create a "UK Deportation Command", a new company to carry out mass deportations of prohibited migrants.


It was not the very first time Church House had actually come under fire for its use by external organisations.


In late 2020, the place hosted 2 boxing battles sponsored by online betting firm 32Red.


At the time, critics argued that gambling dependency was damaging, and should not be seen to be promoted by the Church.


Campaigners have actually likewise formerly opposed Royal United Services Institute (Rusi)'s annual Land Warfare Conference being hosted at the place.


In a statement to the BBC, Church House stated it accepted "reservations from organisations that meet our ethical lettings policy, subject to accessibility".


The policy states that bookings might be rejected if "the hirer promotes views which are anathema to the mentors of the Church of England, as might be affirmed by its Synodical or Episcopal statement from time to time, such as groups which promote racial prejudice".


A Reform UK representative told the BBC: "This is little bit more than a cheap political stunt by a group that is totally out of touch with the British public.


"Poll after survey shows immigration is a leading problem for citizens. Attempting to close down debate on a subject near to citizens' hearts is both un-Christian and authoritarian."