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

27 February 2026
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Catherine WyattBBC religious affairs


A number of Christian groups have spoken of their "shock and disappointment" that Reform UK was permitted to use the Church of England's headquarters for an interview.


They said the celebration's migration policies were opposed to Church beliefs and mentors.


Reform UK leader Nigel Farage announced his brand-new top group at a press conference in the Assembly Hall at Church House in Westminster last week.


The party stated the criticism was "bit more than a low-cost political stunt".


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


Christians for a Welcoming Britain stated it was "outraged" that Church House had permitted Reform UK to use the place, which it created the impression the Church offered its "true blessing" to "hostile policies and divisive rhetoric".


Other organisations and parties - consisting of the Conservatives and Labour - have actually previously utilized the venue, as have Reform multiple times.


But it was their latest event, hosted inside the chamber where the Church of England had only the week before held its national assembly, General Synod, which caused 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 complain.


In his letter, Reverend Keith Brindle, a Church of England priest in Frome, and organizer of Christians Against the Far Right, wrote that the place had been "used as a moral backdrop for policies that contradict the very heart of the Christian faith".


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


"As followers of Jesus, we must refuse to let the architecture of our faith be utilized to back the dehumanisation of our neighbours.


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


At occasion, Zia Yusuf was announced as the celebration's lead on home affairs, with a concentrate on cutting legal and illegal immigration.


The celebration has actually considering that revealed plans to produce a "UK Deportation Command", a brand-new company to perform mass deportations of illegal migrants.


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


In late 2020, the venue hosted 2 boxing battles sponsored by online gambling company 32Red.


At the time, critics argued that betting addiction was devastating, and should not be seen to be promoted by the Church.


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


In a declaration to the BBC, Church House said it accepted "bookings from organisations that satisfy our ethical lettings policy, subject to availability".


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


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


"Poll after poll reveals immigration is a leading problem for voters. Attempting to close down argument on a subject close to citizens' hearts is both un-Christian and authoritarian."