Royal Wootton Bassett has unanimously agreed to grant James Gray the Honorary Freedom of the town in recognition.
The accolade has been handed to Mr Gray, who was North Wiltshire MP from 1997 until earlier this year, in gratitude for his services to the town and its residents.
Conservative Mr Gray stood in July's General Election for the new South Cotswolds constituency, his old constituency having been abolished, but was defeated by Liberal Democrat Roz Savage.
Mr Gray said: “There can be no finer town nor nicer people than the folk of Royal Wootton Bassett in my erstwhile constituency.
"So it was a huge honour and great surprise to be only, I think, the second person to be granted the Freedom of the Town at the civic service last Sunday. It means a huge amount to me and stands as the greatest honour I could wish for.”
“‘Bassett’ as we all call it became famous for the little ceremonies down the historic High Street paying our respects to the Iraq and Afghanistan fallen as their coffins were borne home from RAF Lyneham. The busy town just paused for a few moments as they passed by; and we certainly never sought (but were nonetheless very pleased to receive) the resulting ‘Royal’ addition to our name.
"I was glad to play my part in that, and to have done what I could to save Lyneham itself from its threatened closure. I was pleased when PM David Cameron looked up from his papers when I took the then Mayor in to see him in No 10, saying, 'First thing is, James, please stop banging on about Lyneham.' Glad that my ‘banging on’ had reached the highest in the land!
“But more that those few years of fame, Bassett is just a wonderful Wiltshire community, and the heart of my constituency.
"I loved serving the people for 27 years and am delighted and honoured to have been given the Freedom of the finest town in England.”
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