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


They said the party's immigration policies were opposed to Church beliefs and mentors.


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


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


Church House, whose lettings policy states it does decline reservations from groups which "promote racial bias", stated it operated on a business basis, and was not part of the Church of England.


Christians for a Welcoming Britain stated it was "outraged" that Church House had allowed Reform UK to use the place, and that it produced the impression the Church provided its "blessing" to "hostile policies and dissentious rhetoric".


Other organisations and parties - consisting of the Conservatives and Labour - have actually previously used the place, as have Reform several times.


But it was their latest occasion, hosted inside the chamber where the Church of England had just the week before held its national assembly, General Synod, which triggered the most significant 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 grumble.


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 actually been "utilized as a moral background for policies that contradict the very heart of the Christian faith".


He wrote: "Church House has actually supplied a veneer of spiritual authenticity 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 used to endorse the dehumanisation of our neighbours.


"The Church should 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 focus on cutting legal and unlawful migration.


The party has actually since announced strategies to develop a "UK Deportation Command", a brand-new firm 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 firm 32Red.


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


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


In a declaration to the BBC, Church House stated it accepted "reservations from organisations that satisfy 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 affirmed by its Synodical or Episcopal declaration from time to time, such as groups which promote racial prejudice".


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


"Poll after poll shows migration is a top issue for citizens. Attempting to close down argument on a topic near to citizens' hearts is both un-Christian and authoritarian."