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 mentioned their "shock and dissatisfaction" that Reform UK was permitted to utilize the Church of England's headquarters for an interview.


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


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


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


Church House, whose lettings policy states it does decline reservations from groups which "promote racial bias", said it ran on an industrial basis, and was not part of the Church of England.


Christians for a Welcoming Britain said it was "outraged" that Church House had actually allowed Reform UK to utilize the location, and that it developed the impression the Church provided its "blessing" to "hostile policies and dissentious rhetoric".


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


But it was their most current occasion, hosted inside the chamber where the Church of England had only the week before held its nationwide assembly, General Synod, which caused the biggest 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 coordinator of Christians Against the Far Right, wrote that the location had been "utilized as an ethical backdrop for policies that contradict the very heart of the Christian faith".


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


"As fans of Jesus, we must refuse to let the of our faith be utilized to endorse the dehumanisation of our neighbours.


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


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


The party has actually considering that revealed strategies to create a "UK Deportation Command", a brand-new firm to carry out mass deportations of unlawful migrants.


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


In late 2020, the place hosted two boxing fights sponsored by online gambling firm 32Red.


At the time, critics argued that gambling addiction was harmful, and must not be seen to be promoted by the Church.


Campaigners have also formerly opposed Royal United Services Institute (Rusi)'s yearly Land Warfare Conference being hosted at the location.


In a statement to the BBC, Church House stated it accepted "bookings from organisations that fulfill our ethical lettings policy, subject to schedule".


The policy mentions that bookings might be denied if "the hirer promotes views which are anathema to the teachings of the Church of England, as may be verified by its Synodical or Episcopal statement from time to time, such as groups which promote racial bias".


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


"Poll after survey reveals immigration is a top concern for voters. Attempting to shut down dispute on a subject close to voters' hearts is both un-Christian and authoritarian."