PRESS DIGEST-Financial Times - July 8

July 8 (Reuters) - The following are the top stories in the Financial Times. Reuters has not verified these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.

Headlines

- Macron and Starmer to focus on migration and defence in talks this week

- BP bolsters board with former Shell executive Simon Henry

- UK officials hopeful steel industry will avoid 50% US tariff

- Downing Street leaves door open to higher UK taxes on the wealthy

Overview

- British Prime Minister Keir Starmer is set to host French President Emmanuel Macron on a three-day state visit with irregular migration and defence on the agenda, but a deal to allow the UK to return asylum seekers to France is yet to be reached.

- BP BP.L on Monday appointed Simon Henry, former finance chief of Shell SHEL.L, to its board as a non-executive director effective September 1.

- UK officials are hopeful that the country's steel industry will avoid being slapped with a 50% tariff by Donald Trump when a deadline expires on Wednesday for nations to negotiate tariff deals with the U.S. president.

- Number 10 on Monday declined to rule out tax increases on the rich after former Labour leader Neil Kinnock said a new wealth tax could help fill the hole in the public finances.