
Women With Balls
The Spectator's Political Editor, Katy Balls, speaks to women fortnightly at the top of their respective games, about their passions, their battles, and what makes them tick. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Latest episodes

Nov 8, 2019 • 27min
The Nicky Morgan Edition
Nicky Morgan is the Secretary of State for Culture, and former Conservative MP for Loughborough. Despite her success in Boris Johnson's cabinet, she announced that she'd be standing down at this election. On the podcast, she talks about student politics in Oxford with Dan Hannan, filling in Michael Gove's shoes as Education Secretary under David Cameron, firing herself for Theresa May when the latter became Prime Minister.Presented by Katy Balls. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Oct 25, 2019 • 27min
The Katharine Birbalsingh Edition
Katharine is the headmistress of Michaela Community School, dubbed by some as 'Britain's strictest school'. She talks to Katy about why she regrets speaking at Conservative Party Conference, her school's 'tiger teacher' philosophy, and why she would ban smartphones for everyone under the age of 18.Presented by Katy Balls. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Oct 11, 2019 • 27min
The Lynn Barber Edition
Lynn Barber is an award-winning journalist known for her incisive interviews and her best-selling books An Education and How to Improve Your Man in Bed. On this episode, she talks to Katy about her lifetime of interviewing the great and the good, from Salvador Dali to Katie Price; the death threats she received from Rafa Nadal's fans; and her favourite (and least favourite) BBC journalists.Presented by Katy Balls. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sep 29, 2019 • 27min
Conservative party conference special: Liz Truss II
Liz Truss is the Secretary of State for International Trade and holds the Women and Equalities brief. On the podcast, she talks about why Boris picked her for the job (having heard her speech about cheese exports), the limitation to trans rights, and how punchy language is all just a part of politics.Presented by Katy Balls. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sep 27, 2019 • 34min
The Margaret Hodge Edition
Margaret Hodge is the Labour MP for Barking and Dagenham, and well-known for her role as former head of the Public Accounts Committee, in which she scrutinised senior civil servants and politicians alike. She has also been one of the most vocal critics of Labour's anti-Semitism problem. On the podcast, she tells Katy about how boarding school made her rebellious, her remorse for supporting Tony Blair on Iraq, and what fighting the BNP on her own turf taught her about racism.Presented by Katy Balls. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sep 6, 2019 • 34min
The Amber Rudd Edition
Katy talks to Amber Rudd, Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, about walking in Theresa May's shoes, No 10's SpAd jihad, and the government's whip withdrawal for the 21 Tory rebels this week.Presented by Katy Balls. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Aug 16, 2019 • 21min
The Joan Collins Edition
Dame Joan Collins is an actress, author, and entrepreneur. Her acting career spans three quarters of a century, including 1950s Hollywood movies, to her role as Alexis Carrington in Dynasty. In this episode, she talks to Katy about breaking into acting as a young woman, what she thinks about Love Island, and why she supports both Boris Johnson and Brexit.Presented by Katy Balls. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Aug 2, 2019 • 29min
The Karen Pierce Edition
Karen Pierce is the UK's Permanent Representative to the UN. In this episode, she talks to Katy about her career ambitions when she was young, using Lewis Carroll to combat the Russians, and what day to day life is like in the UN.Presented by Katy Balls. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jul 19, 2019 • 20min
Lib Dem Special: Jo Swinson
Jo Swinson is the current deputy leader of the Liberal Democrats, but she's running to be leader against Ed Davey. With the Liberal Democrats' surge in the polls, Swinson's role in the coming months could be vital for Brexit. In this special edition of Women with Balls, she talks about losing her seat in 2015 after the coalition, problems with pairing in Westminster, and what she has in common with Boris Johnson.Presented by Katy Balls. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jul 12, 2019 • 34min
The Tracey Crouch Edition
Tracey Crouch MP has earned a reputation for being independently minded. She has rebelled on issues from press regulation to fox hunting; and served as a sports minister until last year until she resigned over the government's stance on fixed odds betting terminals. In this episode, Tracey Crouch tells Katy about being the only student Tory in Hull, swearing at Philip Hammond, and why she's never told anyone what she voted in the Brexit referendum.Presented by Katy Balls. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.