First Bruni, now Clooney. For the second time in as many weeks, Gordon Brown entertained a world-famous and glamorous guest at Downing Street. Gorgeous George was visiting to highlight the crisis in Darfur.

Clooney, acting as a “messenger of peace”, a role bestowed on him by the United Nations in January, spoke to Mr Brown about the troubled region in between publicity commitments for his new film, Leatherheads.

The 46-year-old star also found time to pose for pictures with the Prime Minister and his wife, Sarah.

Perhaps as a reward, Clooney was given a copy of Mr Brown’s opus, Courage: Eight Portraits. He clutched this under his arm while posing with Mrs Brown.

The Oscar winner spoke to reporters later at the Dorchester Hotel, saying that a “wonderful suggestion” had been made at the meeting. Specifically, a fund to lease helicopters in Darfur, creating "some security" in the region and allowing those at risk to be transported to protected places, he said.

Clooney also suggested that London could be a safe haven where rebel leaders meet.

Mr Brown responded by saying he was grateful for the Oscar winner’s “leadership” and described the “humanitarian tragedy” in Darfur as unacceptable.

“In February and March alone, fighting displaced 58,000 people,” he said. “Humanitarian access is limited and Unamid (United Nations African Union Mission in Darfur) deployment is still too slow.

“The rebels and government continue to openly flout United Nations Security Council resolutions through attacks on civilians.

“The world must take note and act.”

Mr Brown said that the UK was working with the international community to pressure “all sides” to agree a ceasefire.

Before taking up his role as a messenger for peace, Clooney had taken a two-week trip to 19 locations in Sudan’s Darfur region, the Central African Republic, Chad and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

“Each conflict zone has difficulties that are unique, but there’s always one unifying thread: the worst atrocities are saved for the poorest and most vulnerable,” he said.

The former star of ER was selected for the post, the UN said, on account of his ability to focus public attention on critical international political and social issues.

He took on the job after waging his own campaigns for an end to the war in Darfur and for more humanitarian aid for the millions caught in the conflict.

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