Arnold takes Boris ‘for a ride’

London Mayor Boris Johnson terminated his row with a Hollywood megastar after a war of words over their respective speaking styles.

Mr Johnson and former Californian governor Arnold Schwarzenegger fell out after the actor was caught on microphone calling Mr Johnson’s 2007 Conservative conference address “fumbling”.

In his 2008 conference speech, Mr Johnson retorted that it had been a “low moment” to have his speaking style “denounced by a monosyllabic Austrian cyborg”.

But today they buried the hatchet during a cycle ride in London.

Terminator star Arnie was trying out a hire bike outside City Hall – one of thousands of cycles made available in London under an environmentally–friendly scheme. The two men also held brief talks on how to improve markets for low-emission technologies.

The mayor said: “We have had a great discussion.” Mr Schwarze­negger said: “I think these 6,000 bikes you have in London are a fantastic idea. It rides really well.”

He suggested that the bike hire scheme was a “great idea for the whole world”.

Mr Johnson said: “There’s a lot that we can learn from California – their highways, what they do with their homes.”

On the jibes they famously traded, Mr Schwarzenegger was asked whether he still thought the mayor to be fumbling, and responded by praising Mr Johnson’s “great, great leadership”.

In turn Mr Johnson, asked if he regretted his “cyborg” comments, laughed and said: “I think he’s got a lot of great policies, and I was pleased with what he had to say about the bike hire scheme in London.”