Friends, family and colleagues from across the region attended a Civic Memorial Service for Lord Adam Patel.

Lord Patel died aged 78 in May, was a prominent figure from the borough and was well known for his love of Blackburn Rovers, the town and Lancashire.

Attendees to the memorial were welcomed by the Mayor of Blackburn with Darwen, Cllr Jim Shorrock with speeches by former Blackburn MP Jack Straw, Leader of the Council Mohammed Khan and present Labour party candidate for Blackburn, Kate Hollern.

Last month, Lord Sheikh and Baroness Uddin hosted a similar memorial service at the House of Lords.

Lord Adam, as he was known to many, left his village of Kamad, in Bharuch, Gujurat, in 1965, arriving in Blackburn in December 1965. He had studied at MS University of Baroda, where he first became involved in politics. In England he funded his accountancy studies by working at a Dewsbury cotton mill for six months.

He went on to set up a clothing business but his was work in the community and in particular the Labour Party that he will be best remembered for.

Speaking at the Memorial Service at King George's Hall, Jack Straw explained how Lord Adam aimed to bring communities together a time of ‘considerable tension in race relations in the United Kingdom’.

Mr Straw said, “I first met Adam during the General Election campaign which took place in September and October 1974. Barbara Castle, for whom I worked, posted me to Blackburn whilst she was campaigning across the country. I quickly hit it off with Adam, and we began a friendship which became closer and closer.”

Mr Straw told of his first visit to Lord Patel’s village in Indian in the late seventies, and spotting a car, “I remember only one other in Karmad – a red Ford Cortina, with GB plates, registered in Lancashire, which one intredpid resident had driven all the way from Blackburn – as you could in those days.

He went to tell of his time as foreign secretary, “Loyalty is easy if you happen to agree with the action or policy anyway. The test is when you disagree. As Foreign Secretary, the questions in which I was involved severely, if unintentionally, tested the loyalty of many of my friends in Blackburn, including Adam. He was wonderful about this. Highly critical in private, supportive in public.

“Adam was kind, and considerate. He also had a will of steel.”

“A man of extraordinary energy, and commitment, Adam not only served the public weal over almost half a century, but throughout this was a devoted husband, father – and uncle.”

“Lord Patel of Blackburn. He was ours, he worked for all of us; made this place a better place; made us better. I grieve with his family, with all of us, for the loss of a great man, and a dear friend.”

Cllr Khan said, “Lord Adam was passionate about his town and passionate about helping the community. People would turn up at his house at all times in the day seeking advice and he never turned anyone away.

“He was a great leader, a community champion, a dedicated family man and also a successful businessman. I am very honoured and humbled to have known him and call him a friend.”

Council Chief executive Denise Park, Councillor Khan and the Mayor formally presented a commemorative plaque to Lord Patel’s family in recognition of his service to communities.

Imtiaz, one of the sons of Lord Patel led the vote of thanks. Maulana Fazlur Rahman helped close the event by saying prayers.