Top story: Economy could be plunged into chaos

Good morning briefers. This is Martin Farrer bringing you the best news and views from the Guardian.

Britain’s economy could be plunged into chaos unless MPs stop playing politics and back the prime minister’s Brexit deal, the country’s five leading employers’ groups warn today. The cabinet yesterday agreed to escalate preparations for a no-deal Brexit, including putting 3,500 armed forces personnel on standby and hiring thousands of extra civil servants. The lobby groups said they were “watching in horror” as the country slipped towards a no-deal, with businesses having to be divert resources into planning for what was once seen as a remote possibility. They urged politicans to drop their “factional disputes” and listen to businesses in their constituencies. However, they might be dismayed to know that Westminster’s warring factions showed no signs of giving up last night as the SNP and other opposition parties tabled a vote of no confidence in the government. The parties also criticised Jeremy Corbyn for his failure to demand a full no-confidence motion.

Home secretary Sajid Javid will later today reveal wide-ranging reform of immigration policy post-Brexit as the government tries to show it can “take back control” of Britain’s borders. The perils of Brexit are underlined by a report by PwC today which says the UK will be relegated behind France and India in the world economic league table next year. And in case you missed it yesterday, this synopsis of former ambassador Ivan Rogers’s brutal assessment of Brexit is a must-read.

Flynn delay – The intrigue around links between Donald Trump’s election campaign and Russia is set to be dragged out after the sentencing of Michael Flynn was delayed during a dramatic court hearing in which the judge accused the president’s former national security adviser of having “sold your country out”. Flynn’s lawyers requested the postponement after it emerged that special counsel Robert Mueller might need to interview Flynn again, with the threat that more revelations could emerge to damage Trump. Flynn has admitted lying about discussing US sanctions on Russia with the Russian ambassador and it was thought he could avoid jail. And Trump has agreed to shut down his Trump Foundation charity after a succession of scandals including the use of charity funds to pay off legal settlements.

Facebook Twitter Pinterest Jose Mourinho after being sacked as Manchester United manager. Photograph: Phil Noble/Reuters

Exit José, enter Ole? – Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is tipped to become Manchester United’s caretaker manager as the club seeks a permanent replacement for sacked boss José Mourinho. The Norwegian, a club legend after scoring the last-minute winner in the 1999 Champions League final, is manager of Molde in his home country and has only limited coaching experience in England. Tottenham’s Mauricio Pochettino is the frontrunner for the permanent job and did not rule himself out when asked on Tuesday. Other possible candidates include Zinedine Zidane and Laurent Blanc. As for Mourinho, he leaves United with his once-great reputation tarnished further with the team suffering their worst start to a season since 1990. He will pocket a £15m payoff but his departure is bad news for Salford’s Lowry hotel where the Portuguese has lived for his 895-day stint as manager.

Grade inflation – Universities face being fined or even removed from the official register if they fail to tackle grade inflation, the higher education watchdog has warned. Research shows 84% of universities have seen significant unexplained increases in the number of first-class degrees. The University of Surrey handed out twice as many in 2017 as 2011, while Bradford tripled its awards in the same period. Overall the proportion of firsts has risen from 16% to 27%, according to Office for Students analysis of 148 institutions.

System error – Google has stopped short of apologising for breaking New Zealand’s strict suppression laws by naming the man charged with murdering British backpacker Grace Millane. The company was sharply criticised by the New Zealand government for naming the suspect in the subject line of an email to its subscribers of trending search terms. After being called in by ministers to explain itself, Google said the naming had occurred by mistake and added that it would look at its systems to avoid a repeat.

A league of her own – Penny Marshall, the actor and director, has died aged 75 from complications related to diabetes. Older readers (and me) will remember her as a wise-cracking brewery worker in the popular TV comedy Laverne & Shirley. But she then became one of the most successful women directors ever with box office hits including Big and A League Of Their Own, the first film directed by a woman to gross more than $100m. Former husband Rob Reiner paid tribute to his former wife saying: “I was very lucky to have lived with her and her funny bone.”

The Guardian and Observer charity appeal 2018

The Guardian and Observer Charity Appeal 2018 Photograph: The Guardian

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Lunchtime read: The road to recovery

Facebook Twitter Pinterest Amy Carr, former professional goalkeeper. Photograph: Harry Borden/The Guardian

Addiction, mental illness, bereavement, cancer, debt: there is no shortage of afflictions that can beset us. Some people never recover but many do and as part of our Upside coverage, we have spoken to those who have managed to plot a course through their troubles. For Jaabir Ramlugon, who has depression, it was about finding a way to socialise with others but also learning to appreciate the natural beauty of trees, birds and rivers. “They are a distraction for me,” he says. Amy Carr was a professional footballer before being diagnosed with a benign brain tumour. She survived surgery and threw herself into an intense exercise regime to help herself recover. Even so she faces regular six-month tests and doesn’t feel completely healthy. “I don’t think you can be fully recovered, ever. Can you?”

Sport

Jürgen Klopp said he has more sympathy for managers sacked at lower league clubs than José Mourinho and his former rival had to “take the consequences” for what unfolded at Old Trafford. The Portuguese’s style at United was defence-heavy and excitement-free but, writes Barney Ronay, problems exist in all areas of the club. And while he did not help himself, Ed Woodward, the Glazers and the players have to share the blame, according to Daniel Taylor. Sam Curran emerged as the big winner from the English hopefuls in Tuesday’s Indian Premier League auction, capping his meteoric rise in international cricket with an £800,000 deal to play for Kings XI Punjab. History repeated itself in the East Midlands as Manchester City sealed their passage into the Carabao Cup semi-finals via penalties and at the expense of Leicester for the second season running.

Business

Financial markets in Asia are relatively becalmed ahead of the Federal Reserve’s interest rate decision later today. It is expected to defy Donald Trump and raise borrowing costs for the fourth time this year. The pound is buying $1.266 and €1.112, while the FTSE100 is headed for a 0.2% fall when it opens.

The Bank of England must continue to reduce costs if it hopes to meet its own spending targets, the National Audit Office has warned, days after Threadneedle Street was embarrassed by revelations of lavish expense accounts for staff.

Today in Focus podcast – can the NHS be saved?

A long-term plan designed to secure the future of NHS England has been delayed once again by Brexit. But as Britain’s health service heads into its annual winter beds crisis, Denis Campbell visits King’s College hospital in London to find out what staff and patients need for the future – and how much it will cost. Plus: Hadley Freeman on why Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, was right to distance herself from her father and his media onslaught

The papers

Guardian front page, Wednesday 19 December 2018 Photograph: The Guardian

The Guardian leads with “Business ‘watching in horror’ as PM plans for no-deal Brexit”, as well as a large picture of José Mourinho. The Mail reports “Now it’s no deal mayhem”, the i says “Britain moves to ‘war footing’ for a no-deal Brexit”, the Times has “May ditches key pledges to prepare for no deal” and writing in the Telegraph Dominic Raab calls for tax breaks to help ease a no-deal Brexit: “Raab: cut business tax with £39bn”.

The FT prefers May’s plans to require migrants to have a minimum £30k salary: “May defies business fears to push through Brexit immigration curbs”. The Mirror’s splash is “The Tory TV licence hypocrites”, continuing their fight to stop pensioners losing their free licences. The Express reports: “Scandal of salty food killing 4,000” and the Sun’s lead headline is “Worker Ant” as McPartlin returns to work.

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