MP for East Ham
Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
“A long‑serving Labour MP and current Work and Pensions minister with near‑total party loyalty and a centre‑left voting profile.”
Sir Stephen Timms is the Labour MP for East Ham, first elected in 1994. He currently serves as Minister of State for the Department for Work and Pensions (since July 2024) and has a long parliamentary career with extensive experience on key committees including Work and Pensions, Education, and liaison and ecclesiastical oversight.
Timms exhibits very high party loyalty and solid attendance, with eight rebel votes. His voting position sits centre‑left (41/100). He generally supports Universal Credit and NHS funding, and generally opposes stricter immigration controls and tougher asylum measures, while his stance on VAT, transgender rights and trade union powers shows more variation. He has occasionally rebelled against his party on notable issues, including Brexit‑related votes and amendments to the End of Life Bill, as well as the EU‑Singapore Free Trade Agreement vote.
Declared financial interests total three entries, all listed under 'Miscellaneous'.
Generated 21 February 2026
How this MP participates in parliamentary votes. These numbers describe activity, not effectiveness.
How often this MP votes
Labour (Co-op) average: 33%
The percentage of parliamentary votes (divisions) this MP participated in. MPs may miss votes for legitimate reasons including ministerial duties, constituency work, or illness.
How often this MP votes with their party
Labour (Co-op) average: 99%
Estimated from voting record, not self-declared. This is a simplified model — real politics is more complex than a single axis.
32 positions
Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
Since Jul 2024
Space Industry (Indemnities) Bill
May 2024 - May 2024
Offenders (Day of Release from Detention) Bill
Feb 2023 - Feb 2023
Motor Vehicles (Compulsory Insurance) Bill
Dec 2021 - Jan 2022
Liaison Committee (Commons)
May 2020 - May 2024
Ecclesiastical Committee
Mar 2020 - May 2024
Work and Pensions Committee
Jan 2020 - May 2024
Figures include only interests with declared monetary values from the Register of Members' Financial Interests. Some categories (e.g. hospitality, overseas visits) may not have monetary values recorded, so the total may not reflect all declared interests.
Opposition day motion: student loans
NOOpposition day motion: fuel duty
NODraft Higher Education (Fee Limits and Fee Limit Condition) (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2026
AYEDraft Employment Rights Act 2025 (Investigatory Powers) (Consequential Amendments) Regulations 2026
AYEFinance (No. 2) Bill: Third Reading
AYEFinance (No. 2) Bill
Finance (No. 2) Bill Report Stage: Amendment 6
NOFinance (No. 2) Bill
Finance (No. 2) Bill Report Stage: Amendment 5
NOFinance (No. 2) Bill
Finance (No. 2) Bill Report Stage: New Clause 11
NOFinance (No. 2) Bill
Courts and Tribunals Bill: Second Reading
AYECourts and Tribunals Bill
Courts and Tribunals Bill: Reasoned Amendment to Second Reading
NOCourts and Tribunals Bill
Children's Wellbeing and Schools Bill: motion to disagree with Lords Amendment 106
AYEChildren’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill
Children's Wellbeing and Schools Bill: motion to disagree with Lords Amendment 102
AYEChildren’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill
Children's Wellbeing and Schools Bill: motion to disagree with Lords Amendment 44
AYEChildren’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill
Children's Wellbeing and Schools Bill: motion to disagree with Lords Amendment 41
AYEChildren’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill
Children's Wellbeing and Schools Bill: motion to disagree with Lords Amendment 38
AYEChildren’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill
The percentage of votes where this MP voted the same way as the majority of their party. High loyalty is typical; most MPs vote with their party on most issues.
Rebel votes
Times this MP voted differently from the majority of their party. This can reflect independent judgement, but context matters — some rebel votes are on procedural matters, others on major policy.
