Terminator to attend Tory conference

Arnold Schwarzenegger is to exchange Sunset Boulevard for the Golden Mile as a guest of honour at this year's Conservative Party conference in Blackpool.

The Austrian-born actor, best known as the Terminator before becoming the Republican governor of California four years ago, will also deliver a keynote address to the Tory faithful.

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He was invited in recognition of his environmental track record in California, which has become the first US state to impose a cap on carbon dioxide emissions.

It comes a month after Al Gore, the former US vice-president and environmental campaigner, addressed the Shadow Cabinet on the perils of global warming.

David Cameron, the Tory leader, said: "It's great he's coming to our party conference ... I look forward to welcoming him there.

"Governor Schwarzenegger led a dramatic revival of his party's fortunes in California and as governor he has shown tremendous leadership - above all, in pioneering measures to protect the environment, reaching out to political opponents in doing so."

Labour has long been alive to the value of star endorsements, arranging recent appearances by the former president Bill Clinton, actor Kevin Spacey and rock star Bono.

At his first appearance in 2002, Mr Clinton told delegates: "I am trying to imagine what in the world I am doing here. I have never been to Blackpool before, I had never been to the McDonald's in Blackpool before. I like the city."

Last year the Tories also spread their net wider in an effort to boost their appeal to the voters. Speakers included Senator John McCain, the Republican presidential candidate, and the environmental activist George Monbiot. Governor Schwarzenegger's appearances in the Terminator films made him one of the world's biggest stars, before he turned to politics.

He easily won the contest to run California but unlike his predecessor as governor, Ronald Reagan, is not eligible to stand for the White House because he was born abroad.

A Tory spokesman said: "Given the importance of green issues to the party, we are bringing in the leading people in the field as well as people who have shown leadership."