The former Mayor of Bromley is standing as the Tory candidate for Beckenham and Penge at the next general election.

Hannah Gray, who has twice served as mayor, has been named as the Conservative's Parliamentary Candidate ahead of the election expected this year.

Ms Gray has been a vocal and active member of the community, having lived in Beckenham for nearly 17 years and raised her two sons in local schools.

As a small business owner herself, Ms Gray says that she "channels her entrepreneurial spirit to support local enterprise in Beckenham and Penge".

During her time on Bromley Council she acted as as 'small business champion', launching four local referral networking groups and rallying for the support of small and medium enterprises (SMEs).

She said: "SMEs are the back bone of both the national and local economy, and in Beckenham and Penge we must ensure that we support our local businesses."

Ms Gray is a councillor for West Wickham ward, where she has been serving since May 2014.

She is also a STEM ambassador and runs her own consultancy helping young individuals to realise their potential.

During her first term as the Mayor of Bromley, amid the pandemic, Ms Gray used her position to celebrate local voluntary groups and front-line workers who supported the community during a difficult time.

Her second term won praise from councillors across the parties as the borough united to celebrate the late Queen's historic Platinum Jubilee, as well as the coronation of King Charles III.

Ms Gray is actively campaigning to re-open West Wickham and Penge police bases, an initiative aimed at curbing crime rates.

Emphasising her strong community ties and track record as Mayor, Ms Gray spoke about her readiness to serve the constituency on a larger scale.

She said: "I am truly honoured to have been chosen as the Conservative Candidate ahead of the General Election.

"I love our community, I have raised my family here, I run my business here and I have served this community.

"With ten years’ experience as a Councillor I am now ready to step up and represent Beckenham and Penge as your MP."