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

27 February 2026
ShareSave


Catherine WyattBBC religious affairs


A number of Christian groups have spoken of their "shock and dissatisfaction" that Reform UK was enabled to utilize the Church of England's head office for a press conference.


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


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


The celebration stated the criticism was "bit more than an inexpensive political stunt".


Church House, whose lettings policy says it does not accept reservations 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 said it was "annoyed" that Church House had actually allowed Reform UK to utilize the place, which it produced the impression the Church gave its "blessing" to "hostile policies and dissentious rhetoric".


Other organisations and parties - including the Conservatives and Labour - have actually formerly utilized the place, as have Reform multiple times.


But it was their newest 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 written to Church House to grumble.


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


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


"As fans of Jesus, we must decline 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 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 actually given that revealed strategies 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 use by external organisations.


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


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


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


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


The policy mentions that reservations may be rejected 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 little more than an inexpensive political stunt by a group that is completely out of touch with the British public.


"Poll after poll shows migration is a top concern for citizens. Attempting to close down dispute on a subject close to voters' hearts is both un-Christian and authoritarian."