Boris Johnson has got his own back at California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, calling him a "monosyllabic Austrian cyborg".

The Terminator actor was guest speaker at last year's Tory party conference and addressed the event via video link, but was heard remarking about the London Mayor's style of speaking.

Mr Schwarzenegger can be heard whispering something about Mr Johnson' "fumbling". The clip later became a YouTube hit.

To a standing ovation at the start of this year's conference in Birmingham, the London Mayor told delegates: "Thank you very much for that welcome.

"Much more generous than in 2006 when I was physically pelted with pork pies by the press corps or last year when my speaking style was criticised by Arnold Schwarzenegger.

"And it was a low moment, my friends, to have my rhetorical skills denounced by a monosyllabic Austrian cyborg. But I can say now to Arnie that in spite of all his doubts and though there was a great deal of suspense until the final reel, Ken Livingstone was terminated."

He added that he was not Mr Livingstone's Terminator but the "people in this hall who did it".

Mr Johnson was giving his first speech to the conference since succeeding Mr Livingstone as London Mayor.

In a sign of his popularity within the party, the packed conference chamber gave Mr Johnson a further standing ovation when he finished his address.

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