PRESS DIGEST-British Business - May 9

May 9 (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

- John Lewis Partnership is increasing the opportunity for dining and drinking in its shops in an attempt to boost footfall and reclaim its position as middle England's favourite retailer.

- British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has secured the first deal with U.S. President Donald Trump since he embarked on his global trade war, sealing cuts to tariffs on car and steel exports that threatened thousands of jobs.

The Guardian

- Hospitals in England are cutting staff, closing services and planning to ration care in order to make "eye-watering" savings demanded by NHS bosses.

The Telegraph

- British soldiers could be deployed on European Union military missions as the price for joining the bloc's € 150 billion ($168.30 billion) rearmament programme.

Sky News

- Brave Bison BBSN.L, a marketing specialist backed by Rupert Murdoch and Lord Ashcroft, was on Thursday evening finalising a deal to buy MiniMBA, an e-learning and training business serving marketing and technology professionals.

- Severn Trent's SVT.L Christine Hodgson has been selected as the preferred candidate to replace Adam Crozier as Whitbread's WTB.L chairman.

($1 = 0.8913 euros)