June 3 (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

- Former UK trade minister Greg Hands has been appointed as

a strategic adviser to Daniel Kretinsky, the Czech billionaire

investor who clinched the takeover of Royal Mail's owner.

- Pharma firm Indivior ( INDV ) said it would cancel its

secondary listing on the London Stock Exchange, effective July

25, maintaining its primary listing on the Nasdaq to reduce

costs and better align with its U.S.-centric business.

The Guardian

- Vodafone ( VOD ) has promised to invest more than 1

billion pounds ($1.35 billion) in expanding its network coverage

in the next year, as it sealed a 16.5 billion-pound merger with

its former mobile rival Three UK.

- British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has promised to make

Britain "battle-ready" as he unveiled a defence review designed

to counter threats from countries such as Russia, which he

warned directly threatened the UK every day.

The Telegraph

- Marks & Spencer's ( MAKSF ) Chief Executive Stuart Machin

saw his total pay package increase 39% to 7.1 million pounds in

the British retailer's 2024-25 financial year.

- Willie Walsh, the head of a global airlines industry body,

said the soaring cost of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), as

well as poor demand, meant passengers faced even higher ticket

prices.

Sky News

- NatWest Group ( NWG ) named Solange Chamberlain, director

of strategic development, as the CEO of its retail bank, in its

first appointment by the UK lender after the country's

government exited its full ownership.

- Tide, the business banking services platform, is in

advanced talks to raise new funding at $1 billion valuation.

The Independent

- Belfast-based tech company ANGOKA has announced a near 2

million-pound investment in creating cybersecurity software for

the manufacturing sector.

($1 = 0.7392 pounds)

(Compiled by Bengaluru newsroom)