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May 20 (Reuters) - UK shares rose marginally on

Wednesday after softer-than-expected April inflation offered

relief to investors, though sceptics warned the reprieve would

be temporary.

The blue-chip FTSE 100 index gained 0.13% as of

10:40 am GMT, while the midcap FTSE 250 climbed 0.29%.

* Consumer prices in April rose by an annual rate of 2.8%,

compared with March's figures of 3.3% and expectations of 3.0%.

* That prompted some analysts to question the need for rapid

rate hikes by the Bank of England, especially as data released

on Tuesday also showed the unemployment rate ticking up.

* "We continue to think markets are overestimating the Bank

of England's willingness to tighten policy," said James Smith,

developed markets economist, UK, at ING.

* On Monday, the International ​Monetary Fund had also said

that the central bank may not need to raise rates to get

inflation down to its target.

* Still, others warned that inflation may tick up in the

coming months as the impact of higher oil prices due to

disruption in the Strait of Hormuz flows through.

* "Some people might be scratching their heads that the

headline inflation figure for April came in at just 2.8%. But

this bright spot is set to be relegated to the past in the

months to come," said Danni Hewson, head of financial analysis

at AJ Bell.

* Aerospace and defence stocks rose 1.6%,

thanks to a 3.2% gain in shares of defence contractor Babcock

International Group ( BCKIF ) after Peel Hunt upgraded the stock

to "buy" from "add".

* Retailer Marks & Spencer rose 4.2% and was the

biggest gainer on the FTSE 100 after forecasting it will return

to profit growth this year.

* Investors are also contending with a noisy political

backdrop, as questions about Prime Minister Keir Starmer's

future persist.