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 disappointment" that Reform UK was enabled to utilize the Church of England's headquarters for a press conference.


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


Reform UK leader Nigel Farage revealed his brand-new leading team at an interview in the Assembly Hall at Church House in Westminster recently.


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


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


Christians for a Welcoming Britain stated it was "annoyed" that Church House had allowed Reform UK to utilize the location, and that it created the impression the Church provided its "true blessing" to "hostile policies and dissentious rhetoric".


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


But it was their most current occasion, hosted inside the chamber where the Church of England had just 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 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, wrote that the place had actually been "used as an ethical backdrop for policies that oppose the very heart of the Christian faith".


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


"As fans of Jesus, we must refuse to let the architecture of our faith be utilized to back 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 revealed as the celebration's lead on home affairs, with a concentrate on cutting legal and unlawful migration.


The celebration has given that revealed plans to develop a "UK Deportation Command", a new agency to perform 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 location hosted two boxing battles sponsored by online gaming firm 32Red.


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


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


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


The policy specifies that bookings might be denied if "the hirer promotes views which are anathema to the teachings 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 informed the BBC: "This is little bit more than an inexpensive political stunt by a group that is totally out of touch with the British public.


"Poll after poll reveals migration is a leading issue for voters. Attempting to shut down dispute on a topic near citizens' hearts is both un-Christian and authoritarian."