Rt Hon Stephen Timms was Leader of Newham Council from 1990 to 1994, and has been Labour MP for East Ham since 1994.  He was a Government Minister from 1998 to 2010, with portfolios including Schools, Employment, Pensions and Energy.  He served on three occasions as Financial Secretary to the Treasury.  In 2006-7, he was in the Cabinet as Chief Secretary to the Treasury.  He was Shadow Minister for Employment from 2010 to 2015.  He is Chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group for Faith and Society and a member of the Education Select Committee.