Stephen has received a knighthood in the Queen's Birthday Honours. He was awarded the honour for his political and public service.
Speaking about the knighthood, Stephen said: “I’m very pleased [with the knighthood]. I’m not sure I’m more deserving than one of my colleagues, but I’m pleased and my 93-year-old mother is pleased about it as well.
“It’s been a huge privilege to serve East Ham as the MP for 28 years, with 10 years as a local councillor before that. We’ve seen a lot of changes in this area.
“I take particular satisfaction from the dramatic improvements in school achievement locally, made possible by the Government reforms and progress that’s been since then."
Stephen has served in the Tony Blair and Gordon Brown governments and was Shadow Minister for Employment from 2010 to 2015.
Stephen felt that in Parliament he is "…just getting into my stride".
"The Work and Pensions Select Committee, which I chair, has got absolutely vital work to do as we go through the current cost-of-living crisis. So there’s a great deal more to be done in the years ahead.”