A Protestant born in England, Stephenson moved to Northern Ireland, where he joined the Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP) in the early 1980s, and became its first official press officer.
A Protestant born in England, Stephenson moved to Northern Ireland, where he studied at Queen's University Belfast. He joined the Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP) in the early 1980s, and became its first official press officer.