Buffret joins Kerry

Warren Buffett, the billionaire investor who has publicly criticised President George Bush’s tax cuts as favouring the wealthy, said he has agreed to serve as an economic adviser to Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry.

Mr Buffett, a Democrat, said that he and Mr Kerry have spoken once – when Mr Kerry called to ask if he would be willing to serve with a group of advisers that includes Roger Altman, deputy treasury secretary under President Bill Clinton, and former Clinton economic adviser Gene Sperling.

Neither Mr Kerry nor anyone on the Massachusetts senator’s economic advisory team have asked Mr Buffett’s opinion so far on economic policy, Mr Buffett said, adding that he expects to hear from the other advisers soon.