LORD Patel of Bradford has spoken of his honour at being given a new senior role in the Commonwealth of Nations.

The peer said he was having to step down as the chairman of both the district’s Producer City Board and the Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust to concentrate on his new job.

Lord Patel has taken on the role with the Commonwealth, a network of 53 countries spanning all six continents and housing a third of the world’s population, after being head-hunted by its new Secretary-General, Baroness Scotland of Asthal.

He has been asked to lead a full review of the effectiveness of its central body, the Commonwealth Secretariat.

He will then help the Secretary-General shape and implement her vision for the organisation during her tenure.

Both Labour peers were born in other Commonwealth nations - Lord Patel in Kenya, to Indian parents, and Baroness Scotland in Dominica - before coming to Britain.

Lord Patel described his appointment as an honour. He said he thought the Commonwealth had “lost its direction over the years” but had huge potential.

He said: “We have the power to bring 53 heads of government together, or 53 finance ministers. We have immense convening power, to bring governments together to say let’s change something and let’s learn from each other.”

The job will be based at Marlborough House in London, a former royal residence which is now the Commonwealth Secretariat’s headquarters.

Lord Patel said as well as stepping down from the Producer City Board and the hospital trust, and he would also be taking some time off from the 37 charities he was patron of.

But he said he would remain on the board of the England and Wales Cricket Board, because of his enthusiasm for the sport.

He said: “That is the one passion in my life. That is not going anywhere.”

Lord Patel said he would also still be living in Bradford and championing it at every opportunity.

The governors and board of the Bradford Teaching Hospitals trust yesterday held a farewell event for their departing chairman at Bradford Royal Infirmary.

Its chief executive, Professor Clive Kay, thanked Lord Patel for his work.

He said: “We are sorry to say goodbye to Kamlesh but wish him all the very best in his future role.”

A replacement chairman has yet to be appointed.

Kersten England, chief executive of Bradford Council, also wished Lord Patel well, saying he had made a valuable contribution to the Producer City board. Provident Financial Group’s chief executive Peter Crook is acting as the board’s interim chairman.