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

27 February 2026
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Catherine WyattBBC religious affairs


A variety of Christian groups have actually mentioned their "shock and disappointment" that Reform UK was enabled to utilize the Church of office for an interview.


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


Reform UK leader Nigel Farage revealed his brand-new top team at a press conference in the Assembly Hall at Church House in Westminster recently.


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


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


Christians for a Welcoming Britain stated it was "annoyed" that Church House had actually permitted Reform UK to use the venue, which it produced the impression the Church gave its "blessing" to "hostile policies and dissentious rhetoric".


Other organisations and celebrations - consisting of the Conservatives and Labour - have previously used the venue, as have Reform numerous times.


But it was their latest occasion, hosted inside the chamber where the Church of England had only the week before held its national assembly, General Synod, which triggered the biggest stir.


Christians from the groups Better Story, Christians Against the Far Right and Christians for a Welcoming Britain, have actually written 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, composed that the location had been "used as an ethical background for policies that oppose the very heart of the Christian faith".


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


"As fans of Jesus, we should decline to let the architecture 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 event, Zia Yusuf was announced as the celebration's lead on home affairs, with a concentrate on cutting legal and prohibited migration.


The party has actually considering that announced strategies to produce a "UK Deportation Command", a brand-new firm to carry out mass deportations of unlawful 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 venue hosted 2 boxing battles sponsored by online gaming company 32Red.


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


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


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


The policy mentions that reservations may 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 bias".


A Reform UK representative 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 survey reveals migration is a leading concern for citizens. Attempting to close down dispute on a subject near to voters' hearts is both un-Christian and authoritarian."