Episodes

  • The Maureen Lipman Edition

    The Maureen Lipman Edition
    Dec 20 2024
    Dame Maureen Lipman has been a fixture of stage and screen for over five decades. She has been a member of Laurence Olivier's National Theatre company and the Royal Shakespeare Company; she is well known for her roles in acclaimed films like Educating Rita and The Pianist; and most recently she has had an award-winning run in soap Coronation Street. For a generation she will always be 'Beattie': the grandmother from the BT adverts.

    On the podcast, Maureen talks to Katy Balls about her journey from 'the cobbler of Kazimierz Dolny to the cobbles of Corrie'. They discuss selling comedy as a commodity, whether you can separate art from the artist and her most recent role in a Christmas panto.

    Produced by Patrick Gibbons. Photo credit: Jay Brooks.
    Show More Show Less
    36 mins
  • The Kirsty McNeill Edition

    The Kirsty McNeill Edition
    Dec 6 2024
    Kirsty McNeill is a new Labour MP but certainly not new to the Labour movement. She is perhaps best known for hr time working as an advisor to the Browns; firstly in Number 10 during Gordon Brown’s time as Prime Minister, and later for both Gordon and Sarah Brown on their charity projects. Following her experience working on a number of non-executive board, including at the IPPR and Our Scottish Future, she unseated the SNP in the seat of Midlothian. Currently serving in the Scotland Office, she was one of the first MPs of the new intake to be awarded roles in government.

    On the podcast, Kirsty talks to Katy Balls about growing up in an SNP-supporting family, her training as a debater and how activism and advocacy led her into politics. She also provides her reflections on 2014 Scottish referendum having worked on the campaign, how Scottish and Labour politics have changed over the past few years, and her priorities for the new Labour government.

    Produced by Patrick Gibbons and Cindy Yu.
    Show More Show Less
    32 mins
  • The Claire Ainsley Edition

    The Claire Ainsley Edition
    Nov 22 2024
    Claire Ainsley is a stalwart of left-wing politics. Formerly an executive director at social change organisation the Joseph Rowntree Foundation, she is currently leading a project on the renewal of the centre-left at the Progressive Policy Institute. Her first book, The New Working Class: How to Win Hearts, Minds and Votes, brought her to the attention of the Labour leadership. Not long after Keir Starmer’s successful leadership bid, she was invited to join him as Executive Director of Policy, a position she held for over two years.

    On the podcast, Claire talks to Katy Balls about her journey on the left, from a Labour-supporting family to radical university politics and then to a more moderate position. They discuss the changing dynamics of the left and how to define ‘working class’, how her book came about because of the Clacton by-election, and her reflections on British politics following the election.

    Produced by Patrick Gibbons.
    Show More Show Less
    42 mins
  • The Shivani Raja Edition

    The Shivani Raja Edition
    Nov 8 2024
    Shivani Raja holds two Parliamentary honours: the youngest Tory MP and, in Leicester East, the only Conservative gain at the recent election; she is also the first of the new 2024 intake to appear on Women With Balls. With a background in science and business, not politics, she fought a whirlwind election campaign – not just against the Labour Party, but against her two most recent predecessors.

    On the podcast, Shivani talks to Katy Balls about how she got into politics, why she is proud of Leicester’s multiculturalism, and about challenging her colleagues’ perceptions of ‘young people’. Shivani introduced James Cleverly at his leadership launch in September – what are her diagnoses of the 2024 election, Labour’s performance so far, and what the Conservatives need to do to win back the support of the British public?

    Produced by Patrick Gibbons.
    Show More Show Less
    31 mins
  • The Daisy Cooper Edition

    The Daisy Cooper Edition
    Oct 25 2024
    Daisy Cooper has been a stalwart of the Liberal Democrats for over a decade. From councillor to MP, she has served as the deputy leader of the party since 2020. First elected to parliament in 2019, she came to prominence when she represented the party in two of the general election debates earlier this year.

    On the podcast, Daisy talks to Katy Balls about her ambition to be a conductor, how she created her first job, and whether she’d like to be leader one day. As the Liberal Democrats are now the largest third party in Parliament for 100 years – with 72 MPs – Daisy tells Katy what it’s like to have so many colleagues, and provides her diagnoses about both the Labour government and the Conservative leadership race.

    Produced by Patrick Gibbons.
    Show More Show Less
    34 mins
  • The Tracy-Ann Oberman Edition

    The Tracy-Ann Oberman Edition
    Oct 11 2024
    Actress and writer Tracy-Ann Oberman is well known for her roles across theatre, radio and television, including Dr Who, Friday Night Dinner, It’s a Sin and, of course, EastEnders. Most recently, she has taken on one of the most famous, and problematic, Shakespearean roles: as Shylock in The Merchant of Venice. Inspired by her great-grandmother, she has reimagined the role as a Jewish matriarch, and the play returns to London’s West End this December.

    On the podcast, Katy Balls talks to Tracy about her obsession with the Roman Empire, what it was like spending a term in Moscow towards the end of perestroika, and her career from soap to Shakespeare, hero to villain. As she has found herself viewed as an unofficial spokesperson for the Jewish community, Tracy also talks openly about challenging the hate and abuse that many members of the community sadly receive.

    Produced by Patrick Gibbons.
    Show More Show Less
    31 mins
  • The Bridget Phillipson Edition - live at Labour conference

    The Bridget Phillipson Edition - live at Labour conference
    Sep 27 2024
    Labour’s Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson returns to Women With Balls in a special live edition of the podcast, recorded at Labour Party conference. The MP for Houghton and Sunderland South since 2010, Phillipson joined Keir Starmer’s shadow cabinet in 2020, and was appointed Shadow Education Secretary the following year. She retained her brief following the general election, and was also appointed Minister for Women and Equalities.

    Katy talks to Bridget about her priorities for Education, what she thinks about the idea that too many people go to university, and the recovery of schools and pupils post-pandemic.

    Produced by Oscar Edmondson and Patrick Gibbons.
    Show More Show Less
    33 mins
  • The Lucy Powell Edition

    The Lucy Powell Edition
    Sep 13 2024
    From working on the 1997 general election campaign, to serving in the shadow cabinets of three leaders, politician Lucy Powell has been a prominent figure in the Labour Party for many years. First elected to parliament in 2012, she was appointed Leader of the House of Commons and Lord President of the Council following Labour's general election win in July.

    As Women With Balls returns from a summer break, Katy Balls talks to Lucy about why she transferred out of Oxford University, what her motivations were for serving under Jeremy Corbyn, and why the 2024 general election felt like Glastonbury festival. Lucy also talks about her focus for the newly formed Modernisation Committee.

    Produced by Patrick Gibbons.
    Show More Show Less
    27 mins