A long-standing MP and cancer survivor has been given a damehood.

Tracey Crouch has been awarded the title of Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire (DCE) in the latest political honours.

The MP for Chatham and Aylesford has received the honour for her services to public and parliamentary duties.

The gong is the second highest rank in the Order of The British Empire.

She has been named in the Honours List alongside Oppenheimer director Christopher Nolan and producer wife Emma Thomas.

It comes just six weeks after the 48-year-old announced she will not be standing at the next general election.

Ms Crouch insisted the decision was for reasons “entirely personal and positive”.

Born in Ashford, the Tory began serving the constituency after winning the seat from Labour’s Jonathan Shaw in 2010.

She was also appointed as Minister for Sport, Civil Society and Loneliness in 2017, however, she resigned a year later.

In June 2020, Ms Crouch was diagnosed with breast cancer and in February 2021 revealed she had completed her treatment.

The honours announcement comes on the same day Ms Crouch joined a teamed of fundraisers on a bike ride from Redhill to Rochester in aid of the Air Ambulance Charity Kent Surrey Sussex (KSS) charity.