PRESS DIGEST-British Business - Jan 27

Jan 27 (Reuters) - The following are the top stories on the business pages of British newspapers. Reuters has not verified these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.

The Times

- British Prime Minister Keir Starmer is expected to resist pressure from U.S. President Donald Trump and the British military to increase defence spending to 2.5% of GDP by 2030 because of concerns about the state of public finances.

- UK chancellor Rachel Reeves is expected to approve a third runway at Heathrow on Wednesday despite opposition from Ed Miliband, the energy secretary, and Sir Sadiq Khan, the mayor of London, as she announces a package of measures to drive growth in the economy.

The Guardian

- China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi is due to visit Britain next month to hold talks with his British counterpart David Lammy.

- U.S. President Donald Trump and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer have spoken over the phone and agreed to "meet soon".

The Telegraph

- Diageo DGE.L does not intend to sell its beer brand Guinness or its stake in Moet Hennessy, LVMH's LVMH.PA drinks unit.

- UK chancellor Rachel Reeves has been accused of plotting to return Britain to the EU by the back door with a European customs deal indicating the Government would consider the prospect of signing up to the Pan-Euro-Mediterranean Convention (PEM), a tariff-free trading scheme.

Sky News

- London City will, on Monday, table a bid to alter the take-off and landing gradients used by aircraft flying into and out of the airport, a move that would accommodate the Airbus's AIR.PA A320neo jet.