Kerry names running mate

US Presidential contender John Kerry strengthened his hand today by choosing his former chief rival as running mate.

Senator John Edwards, 51, will stand for vice-president when the pair go up against George Bush and Dick Cheney this autumn.

The move, to be confirmed at a major rally in Pennsylvania, is a huge boost and clear evidence of Mr Kerry's growing dominance.

Mr Edwards is seen as a rising star who is likely to stand for president again in the future.

Some of Mr Kerry's advisers urged against the appointment, fearing the Vietnam veteran might be outshone by his younger deputy.

But others see the Kerry-Edwards campaign as a dream ticket because Mr Edwards's boyish charm could offset Mr Kerry's stodgy style of campaigning.

Southerner Mr Edwards, 51, is more socially conservative than Mr Kerry and ran a strong campaign for the Democrat nomination on a populist theme of representing working class Americans. The pair will be formally anointed as candidates at a convention in Boston this month.