Stephenson was born on 17 February 1981 in Manchester,England to Malcolm and Ann Stephenson.[4][5] His father and grandfather worked for British Rail,in the North East of England,before the family moved to the North West in the 1960s.[6]
While at school,Stephenson had wanted to become a chef. He took part in the South Trafford College Super Chef competition,was awarded a bronze medal in the Northern Salon culinary competition and participated in the North West Regional Finals of BBC Junior Masterchef.[citation needed]
After graduating from university,Stephenson worked as an insurance broker and later partner at Stephenson &Threader.[7][9]
Stephenson joined the Conservative Party at the age of 16.[10] He served two terms on the National Executive of Conservative Future,and was the organisation's national deputy chairman from 2001 to 2002. He was also the chairman of the Royal Holloway's Conservative Future society,from 1999 to 2001.[11] Stephenson climbed the Great Wall of China in September 2008,having raised more than £5,000 for charity.[12]
He was elected in the general election of 2010,with a majority of 3,585 (8.0%) votes. The seat had been previously held by Labour MP Gordon Prentice since 1992.[14][15] Stephenson delivered his maiden speech in a debate on 'Building a High-Skilled Economy' on 17 June 2010.[16]
On 13 October 2010,Stephenson was one of 37 Conservative MP's to rebel on a motion to approve Britain's EU budget contribution,voting for an amendment which read "is concerned at the above-inflation increase being made to Britain's EU budget contribution;believes that,at a time when the Government is poised to make reductions in public spending elsewhere,it is wrong to increase that contribution;and calls on the Government to reduce Britain's EU budget contribution."[17]
Between January 2018 and April 2019,Stephenson was the Government Pairing Whip,responsible for approving or refusing the absence requests of all Conservative MPs and negotiating 'pairs' with opposition Parties.[24]
In February 2020,during the first cabinet reshuffle of the second Johnson ministry,Stephenson was appointed as a Minister of State at the Department for Transport,responsible for HS2,the Transpennine Route Upgrade and Northern Powerhouse Rail projects. His appointment came after Prime Minister Boris Johnson said he would appoint a Minister to "restore discipline" to HS2.[33] In his first speech on HS2,which he made in Manchester,Stephenson set out how he would get the project back on track,with monthly cross-government meetings like those that were put in place for the Olympics.[34][35] His speech was welcomed by many supporters of the project including the Yorkshire Post,who said,"Stephenson's rocket will fire up HS2 at last".[36] In November 2021,the Integrated Rail Plan for the North and Midlands,the biggest ever government investment in Britain's rail network was unveiled [37] and in March 2022,Stephenson confirmed that HS2 was supporting over 22,000 jobs.[38]
On 19 July 2022,Stephenson was sworn in as a member of the Privy Council,becoming the 1,336th and final person,to be sworn during the reign of Elizabeth II.[39][40]
On 12 October 2010,less than six months after being first elected,Stephenson led a debate in the House of Commons which focused on the murder of three Pendle residents—Mohammed Yousaf,Pervez Yousaf and Tania Yousaf—who were killed in Pakistan on 20 May 2010. Over 100 Pendle residents travelled to London to watch the debate from the public gallery.[43][44] Stephenson maintains an interest in the case often raising it with the British and Pakistani Authorities.[45] Stephenson served as the Chairman of the Pakistan All Party Parliamentary Group 2010–2015.[46]
On 28 June 2011,Stephenson proposed his first piece of legislation,The Bail (Amendment) Bill. The Private Members Bill sought to create a right of appeal against Crown Court bail decisions and followed the murder of his constituent,Jane Clough,by her partner who was out on bail. Working with Jane's parents,John and Penny Clough MBE,Stephenson was successful in getting the law changed and this additional safeguard was introduced in 2012.[47][48][49]
In September 2014,Stephenson was involved in setting up an All Party Parliamentary Group for Water Safety and Drowning Prevention,following the accidental death of one of his constituents.[50]
Stephenson holds an annual Job Fair at Colne Muni and campaigned for a National Living Wage,which was introduced in 2016. He has long championed the regeneration of Brierfield Mills,[51] helping secure millions of pounds to bring the site into public ownership and enable its £32 million transformation into 'Northlight'.[52] In 2019 Prime Minister Theresa May visited Pendle to open the £4.5 million 'Leisure Box' which is part of the redevelopment.[53]
Stephenson has also campaigned for more transport investment in Pendle. In April 2017,he led a House of Commons debate on re-opening the Colne to Skipton Railway line[54] and in 2018 secured a government feasibility study into this "missing link".[55]Stephenson has also been vocal about traffic congestion in Colne and in 2019 secured another study into looking at possible solutions.[56] Stephenson successfully campaigned for action to be taken to tackle flooding on the M65,work that was undertaken in early 2020.[57] In September 2020,a £1 million scheme to improve congestion through Colne,funded by the Department for Transport's national productivity infrastructure fund got underway [58]
Stephenson has campaigned for more funding for local NHS services. In 2014,a new Health Centre opened in Colne[59] and a new Accident and Emergency Department at Airedale Hospital.[60] In 2023,the Health Secretary announced that Airedale Hospital would be totally rebuilt and paid tribute to Stephenson and other local MPs.[61] Meanwhile,more than £60 million of improvements have been made at Burnley General Teaching Hospital,including the £15 million Phase 8 development which opened in 2019.[62][63]
Stephenson has secured the visits of number of high-profile politicians to Pendle during his time as the MP. As Prime Minister David Cameron visited Hope Technology in Barnoldswick in 2013,[69] ACDC in Barrowford in 2015,[70] and Silentnight in Barnoldswick for a Q&A with the workforce in 2016.[71] Prime Minister Rishi Sunak visited the Pendle Hippodrome Theatre in Colne in 2023.[72] He also had then-Mayor of LondonBoris Johnson pulling pints in the Alma Inn in Colne in 2015.[73]
In 2019,he took part in a Charity Sleep out on top of Pendle Hill to raise money for a local homelessness charity.[74]
Personal life
Stephenson has spoken openly about how his own health problems,including a gangrenous appendix in 2014 [75] and having his gallbladder removed in 2016 [76] led him to become a volunteer community first responder with North West Ambulance Service,providing life-saving care before an ambulance arrives.[77][78]
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