GORDON Brown has been appointed to a senior role in the World Health Organization, it has been announced.

The former Labour Prime Minister has been named today as WHO Ambassador for Global Health Financing.

Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO director-general, described Brown as a champion for galvanizing the world’s major economies to protect health and prevent future disease outbreaks.

Tedros said: “I am delighted and honoured that Gordon Brown has agreed to serve as WHO Ambassador for Global Health Financing. In this role, he will elevate and support WHO’s work to raise awareness internationally on the great need for sustained global health financing, particularly from G20 and G7 countries.

“As a longtime friend of Gordon’s, I know that he will bring his sharp intellect, firm commitment and deep sense of justice to this Ambassadorship.”

Brown said: “I have a tremendous personal regard for Dr Tedros with whom I first worked two decades ago, and I am delighted to be able to help his and WHO’s work raising global finance to ensure everyone has access to health.

“Our immediate task is to work together to finance the vaccination of the whole world and protect the poorest countries from the terrible effects of Covid-19 and other diseases. ”

Brown served as Prime Minister from 2007 to 2010 and was Chancellor of the Exchequer from 1997 to 2007, making him the longest-serving Chancellor in modern history

He has courted controversy in Scotland as a dogmatic opponent of independence and for opposing a second referendum. He recently raised eyebrows after saying England was as egalitarian minded as Scotland, despite the former backing the Conservatives in recent General Elections over social democratic parties.