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 actually mentioned their "shock and dissatisfaction" that Reform UK was permitted to utilize the Church of England's head office for an interview.
They said the celebration's migration policies were opposed to Church beliefs and mentors.
Reform UK leader Nigel Farage revealed his new top group at an interview in the Assembly Hall at Church House in Westminster recently.
The party stated the criticism was "bit more than an inexpensive political stunt".
Church House, whose lettings policy states it does not from groups which "promote racial prejudice", stated it ran 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 actually 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 - including the Conservatives and Labour - have previously used the venue, as have Reform multiple 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 caused 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 complain.
In his letter, Reverend Keith Brindle, a Church of England priest in Frome, and planner of Christians Against the Far Right, composed that the place had actually 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 authenticity to Reform's anti-migrant and anti-Muslim politics, and their cynical scapegoating.
"As followers of Jesus, we must decline to let the architecture of our faith be used to endorse the dehumanisation of our neighbours.
"The Church must be a sanctuary for the displaced, not a platform for their expulsion."
At Reform UK's occasion, Zia Yusuf was revealed as the party's lead on home affairs, with a focus on cutting legal and unlawful migration.
The party has actually considering that announced strategies to produce a "UK Deportation Command", a brand-new company to perform mass deportations of unlawful 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 fights sponsored by online gambling firm 32Red.
At the time, critics argued that betting dependency was devastating, and must not be seen to be promoted by the Church.
Campaigners have actually also formerly opposed Royal United Services Institute (Rusi)'s yearly Land Warfare Conference being hosted at the place.
In a statement to the BBC, Church House stated it accepted "bookings from organisations that satisfy our ethical lettings policy, based on schedule".
The policy states that reservations might be rejected if "the hirer promotes views which are anathema to the mentors of the Church of England, as may be affirmed 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 an inexpensive political stunt by a group that is completely out of touch with the British public.
"Poll after survey shows immigration is a top issue for voters. Attempting to close down dispute on a subject close to voters' hearts is both un-Christian and authoritarian."