Paul Stedman being interviewed while campaigning for the ABeeC Party in 2002
The local political support for a sustainable future for Brentford FC in our community at the time of forming the ABeeC Party was at best apathetic and at worse downright hostile and I recognise now in 2026 that our relationship with local councillors, local MPs and LBH officers is supportive and productive.
The ABeeC Party was formed out of, what I thought was just another BIAS campaign evening meeting held at Luke Kirton’s favoured drinking establishment and the de facto BIAS campaign headquarters, The Griffin.
Present were Paul Stedman, Luke Kirton, Alison Franklin and myself.
There had been growing frustration within the BIAS Committee at the lack of any credible support from the LBH Councillors for a sustainable future for Brentford FC and any recognition of its value as a real community asset at the heart of Brentford. It was at this meeting that it was decided that the only effective method to fight local political apathy, was politically, through the ballot box. But how?
So our campaign, pure and simple, is to take the issue of Brentford FC and its future in the community to the people of Hounslow
to make sure that they do understand the issues and to make sure they understand that the club is in grave danger of dying
Paul Stedman – GPG 3rd February 2002
At this stage we did not have a name, logo or full definition of why we needed 1 of the 3 votes that were to be cast. Paul Stedman was, as always, the leader of everything that was successful about BIAS campaigns at that time and as he was leading on the political campaign, I knew it would be well organised and productive. The detail would soon come.
So the meeting progressed and I was relatively comfortable with pavement pounding for 3 or 4 candidates, but Paul and Luke with their incredible positivity and commitment seemed to have no limits on candidate numbers. We were suddenly, with my pork scratchings flying into the air and a mouth full of premium lager sprayed across the table up to a proposed 10 candidates. Which eventually became 14.
The aim of the ABeeC Party campaign was to get candidates elected by asking voters to cast 1 of their 3 allocated votes to us. So in essence a Labour, Lib Dem or Tory supporter could vote twice for their party councillor candidates and then once for the ABeeC candidate.
Now, all this was before widespread access to social media such as Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and X etc, so the campaign was to be conducted via paper and not electronic means.
No shortcuts were available, we needed to mobilise a small army of volunteers to pound the streets.
Could it be done?
Are fans starting to suffer from campaign fatigue?
This is where Luke Kirton stepped up with his incredible confidence and faith in the supporters of Brentford FC to once again recognise the special relationship our club has with our community. It was our job to remind LBH residents of that through ABeeC.
Luke out canvassing (right)
I am sure Luke won’t mind me saying this, but Luke was very well known on the Haverfield Estate and in Brentford pubs. He was fond of a lock-in and lived in Brentford, I think all his life.
He was of course the ideal candidate for the Brentford ward and was our best hope for making history as the first ever elected councillor from a football fans formed political party. I was allocated the less glamorous Hounslow South ward, no disrespect to the people of Hounslow South.
Special thanks to Stephen Cowan who was the ABeeC Electoral Agent.
Luke’s success after two recounts, getting home at 03:30 on polling night, the Dominic Holland film and other key milestones in the ABeeC campaign have been well documented, but some notable events i will always remember are.
1. The fantastic graphics Paul Stedman and others produced for the ABeeC logo options and the almost constant flow of campaign handouts, posters, leaflets you name it.
2. Arriving at Brentford to climb aboard an open top ABeeC bus to tour LBH. Incredible organisation. I won’t mention several volunteers being hit by low tree branches.
3. Paul Stedman borrowing from BFC the Buzz Bee costume, as we leafleted Chiswick High Rd. Paul was10lbs lighter when he took the costume off.
4. Being bitten by an alsatian dog on the Beavers Estate whilst leafleting and the owner’s complete indifference to her aggressive dog biting me. I was patched up by nurse Mrs Stedman.
5. The late great John Anderson and his son Keith being caught in Feltham by a current Feltham councillor plastering bus stops, notice boards and any other possible poster locations with ABeeC material.
6. Meeting some of the most amazing BFC supporters who volunteered to help pound the streets, design and print leaflets and posters, publicise the campaign in every way possible, donate spare funds and turn a really dismal time supporting BFC into a lifetime lesson of when it really matters, BFC fans are truly the best fans in the country.
7. Finally knowing the success of ABeeC and the Stadium Action Group (STAG) would deliver long lasting benefits and deliver a much more productive relationship with LBH.
There is a lot more i could write, but you must know the saying
“What goes on tour
Stays on tour!
Bish
The candidates – please get in touch!
John Anderson (Hanworth Park);
[Former Bees United Board member – RIP with all our thanks]
Jon Bishop(Hounslow South);
Paul Brownscombe (Cranford);
Neil Durman (Feltham West);
Peter Gilham (Hounslow Central)
Lionel Girling (Hanworth);
Mark Hannah (Bedfont);
Luke Kirton (Brentford); Elected councillor!
Phil Marchant (Hounslow West);
David Merritt (Chiswick Riverside); [Former Bees United Board member, BU Chair and BFC DIrector]
John Pain (Osterley & Spring Grove); [RIP with all our thanks]
Joanne Sewell (Heston West);
Sacha Syed (Heston East);
Andrew Wainwright (Turnham Green). [Former Bees United Board member]
Stephen Cowan: ABeeC Electoral Agent.
[We have not been able to research current detail about the candidates of 2002]
