The Rest Is Money 247. Sir Keir in China & will there be aftershocks from Japan’s bond quake?
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Jan 29, 2026 Toby Dicker, salon owner and founder of the Salon Employers Association, outlines why hairdressers face rising costs and threat to apprenticeships. The conversation also covers Japan’s bond-market shock and its global fallout. They explore Keir Starmer’s China visit and the tight balancing act between business ties and security.
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Starmer's Diplomatic Tightrope
- Keir Starmer aims to reset UK-China ties while trying not to alienate the US, notably Donald Trump.
- The trip balances commercial opportunity with security and human-rights risks, making it geopolitically delicate.
WorldSkills: The Skills Olympics
- Steph McGovern describes WorldSkills as the 'Skills Olympics' with dramatic, high-skill competitions and life-changing prizes.
- She argues Team UK gets too little recognition compared with other countries that celebrate winners like sports stars.
Japan Bond Shock, Global Fragility
- Japan's fiscal stimulus plans spiked Japanese bond yields and spilled into global bond markets, hurting gilts and US Treasuries.
- Markets remain fragile because leveraged funds owning government debt can trigger vicious forced-sale spirals.