Newspaper headlines: Gunboats in the Channel and Christmas plan warning

The decision to put ships on standby to patrol UK waters, in the event that no Brexit trade deal is struck, prompts the headline "Gunships to guard our fish" in the Daily Express.

It says Royal Navy ships will have the power to halt, inspect and impound EU fishing boats if they stray into UK waters. "Sometimes only a show of strength will make foreign governments understand you are serious", says the paper.

The Daily Mail describes the possible deployment of ships and helicopters as a "dramatic ratcheting up" of no-deal contingency planning, and says it evokes memories of the Cod Wars in the 1970s. Sources tell the paper the four vessels will be deployed "when it gets feisty".

The fact that this crunch moment in Brexit falls exactly one year after Boris Johnson was elected with a big majority does not escape attention.

A cartoon in the Daily Telegraph shows him clutching a birthday cake - but engulfed by a huge shadow. The Conservative Home website says this weekend is his "most significant test".

"As with lockdown and the obesity strategy", it says, "we could see another move towards compromise, although whether it pleases Remainers or Leavers remains to be seen."

The i notes that a year on from the election, the political landscape has been "transformed" - chiefly by Covid. It concludes that "if Mr Johnson is tempted to mark the moment with champagne, he could find the bubbly has turned flat".

The Daily Telegraph says schools in England could be sued by ministers if they close early for Christmas to reduce the spread of coronavirus among students.

It says one school in Hertfordshire has already reversed a plan to switch to online learning for the final days of term, after it was threatened with legal action - but says an academy trust in London still plans to stop early.

Elsewhere, Scientists tell the Guardian people should rethink any plans to get together over Christmas, because of fears about rising coronavirus case numbers.

The paper says there are signs infections are increasing again, after falling in November, and that hospitalisations are on the rise in some parts of the country. One professor argues that "if people really want to keep their loved ones safe, the best thing is not to see them."

And friends of Dame Barbara Windsor tell the Sun they want her death to mark a turning point in the fight against dementia. It says it can be her "legacy". The Daily Mirror says her widower has urged the government to be true to its promises to invest more in care.

Finally, there has been a surge in demand for scotch eggs, according to the Financial Times, since they were at the centre of a row about what constituted a "substantial meal" in tier two areas.

It says one food wholesaler has seen a ten-fold increase in orders, while some pub chains are considering adding the eggs to their menus after requests from customers.

One supplier, Scotch and Co, tells the paper it has now reversed plans to furlough staff. "It's all hands on deck," says the company.

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