A big boost for the Kerry-Edward ticket in the White House race by the latest crop of polls. These are the first surveys since the Vice-Presidential choice was announced and John Kerry must be delighted at the way Americans are responding.

In the NBC News poll Kerry-Edwards are beating Bush-Cheney by 49-41. Other polls have smaller margins but there is a clear gap between the two tickets.

UK betting prices on Kerry have tightened during the week although you can still get just above evens on the Betfair exchange. The US-focussed Tradesports still has the equivalent of 11/10 on Kerry.