Women With Balls

By The SpectatorSociety & Culture News Government Politics

Women With Balls episodes

May 19, 2023 The Dambisa Moyo Edition
Dambisa Moyo is an economist, life peer and author of five books: from Dead Aid: Why Aid Is Not Working and How There Is a Better Way for Africa to her most recent, How Boards Work: And How They Can Work Better in a Chaotic World. Born in Zambia, Dambisa grew up in a house where discussing politics was a regular occurrence at the family table. Dambisa has a large portfolio of academic qualifications from all over the world and has consulted both public and private sector banks. Having sat on numerous boards, Dambisa received a life peerage this year. On the podcast, Dambisa talks about growing up in Zambia, six years after independence; her first job aged 23 at the World Bank, and her new role sat in the House of Lords.

Produced by Natasha Feroze.
Become a Spectator subscriber today to access this podcast without adverts. Go to spectator.co.uk/adfree to find out more.

For more Spectator podcasts, go to spectator.co.uk/podcasts.

Contact us: [email protected]
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
26 min
May 05, 2023 The Sam McAlister Edition
Sam McAlister is a producer and author of Scoops: The BBC's Most Shocking Interviews from Prince Andrew to Steven Seagal. When she worked for Newsnight, she was the producer who secured the infamous interview with Prince Andrew, conducted by Emily Maitlis. This interview eventually led to Prince Andrew being suspended from public duties and stepping back from all of his patronages. McAlister is now being portrayed by the actress Billie Piper in a coming Netflix adaptation of the Prince Andrew interview.

On the episode, she tells Katy about coming from a 'grafting, entrepreneurial' family and how that informed her competitiveness; her brief career in law; and the behind-the-scenes story of how she secured the interview.

Produced by Natasha Feroze and Cindy Yu.
Become a Spectator subscriber today to access this podcast without adverts. Go to spectator.co.uk/adfree to find out more.

For more Spectator podcasts, go to spectator.co.uk/podcasts.

Contact us: [email protected]
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
36 min
April 14, 2023 The Martha Lane Fox Edition
Baroness Martha Lane Fox is a dotcom pioneer having started lastminute.com in 1997. She sits on the board of some of the country's most prominent brands, including Marks & Spencer and Channel 4, and has made significant contributions to the government's digital agenda. On the podcast, Martha talks about the early years of the dotcom bubble; the car crash which led to her spending two years in hospital; and some of the campaigning work she has done to promote more accessibility for women in tech.

Produced by Natasha Feroze.
Become a Spectator subscriber today to access this podcast without adverts. Go to spectator.co.uk/adfree to find out more.

For more Spectator podcasts, go to spectator.co.uk/podcasts.

Contact us: [email protected]
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
34 min
March 31, 2023 The Penny Mordaunt Edition
Penny Mordaunt is the Conservative MP for Portsmouth North and one of the most recognisable women in British politics. She has served in several ministerial roles from International Development to Defence and she is currently Leader of the House. On the podcast, Penny talks about the last two tumultuous years in parliament; some of her proudest moment in politics – increasing armed forces pay and leading a Lords reform rebellion and adding some humour to business questions in parliament.
Become a Spectator subscriber today to access this podcast without adverts. Go to spectator.co.uk/adfree to find out more.

For more Spectator podcasts, go to spectator.co.uk/podcasts.

Contact us: [email protected]
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
27 min
March 28, 2023 Will exiling Corbyn backfire on Starmer?
Labour has voted to block Jeremy Corbyn from running as a Labour candidate in the next general election. For the podcast, Natasha Feroze speaks to Katy Balls and Gabriel Pogrund who is the Whitehall editor of the Sunday Times about whether this was a fight worth picking for Starmer. Also, given the former Labour leader has had ten consecutive successful campaigns for his seat in Islington North, is he likely to run again as an independent?
13 min
March 17, 2023 The Ash Regan Edition
Ash Regan is the MSP for East Edinburgh who has served as minister for community safety. Since Nicola Sturgeon’s resignation, she has put herself forward to be the next First Minister for Scotland. Born in Biggar, Ash moved to England as a child and grew up in Devon. She surprised her family during the referendum for Scottish Independence, deciding she would vote to leave.

Ash began her foray into politics as a campaigner before running for elected office. She was little known outside of the Holyrood bubble until she quit as community safety minister over plans to allow people to self-identify their gender.

On the podcast, Ash talks about life before politics; the challenges of the campaign trail; her plans for an independent Scotland, and why she voted against the Gender Recognition Act.
Become a Spectator subscriber today to access this podcast without adverts. Go to spectator.co.uk/adfree to find out more.

For more Spectator podcasts, go to spectator.co.uk/podcasts.

Contact us: [email protected]
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
34 min
March 03, 2023 What next for women in tech?
Women make up half of the workforce in the UK. Yet when it comes to high-skilled, high-income jobs in tech, just 26 per cent of the workforce are women and 77 per cent of tech leaders are men. Jobs in tech filter into almost every sector and women from all walks of life are discovering they don’t need a maths or tech background to retrain and reinvent themselves. Over the last five years the UK’s tech sector has seen massive proliferation and investment, but given this level of growth, where are all the women? The government’s approach to bridging the gap has focused on teaching in schools. While evidently, the issue starts from a young age, should more emphasis be placed on encouraging women of all ages to learn new skills and explore opportunities that could offer a higher salary and career progression?

On the podcast, Katy Balls is joined by Sharon Doherty who is the Chief People and Places Officer and Lloyds Banking Group. Nusrat Ghani, Conservative MP for Wealden and East Sussex and Minister for both Business and Trade and the Cabinet Office. Finally, Anneliese Dodds, Labour MP for Oxford East and Shadow Secretary of State for Women and Equalities.

This podcast is kindly sponsored by Lloyds Banking Group.
Become a Spectator subscriber today to access this podcast without adverts. Go to spectator.co.uk/adfree to find out more.

For more Spectator podcasts, go to spectator.co.uk/podcasts.

Contact us: [email protected]
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
30 min
February 17, 2023 The Victoria Prentis and Vika Edition
For this special episode of Women With Balls, the government’s Attorney General, Victoria Prentis joins Katy along with Vika … a young Ukrainian woman who came over to the UK under the Homes For Ukraine scheme after the war began.

On the podcast, Victoria talks about how life has changed since Vika joined the family and as part of her role in government, working with the Ukrainian prosecutor general who will conduct war crimes tribunals. Vika tells Katy about the steps taken to escape Kyiv at the start of the war; her new life in Oxfordshire having been taken in by the community and what she misses about her home in Ukraine.
Become a Spectator subscriber today to access this podcast without adverts. Go to spectator.co.uk/adfree to find out more.

For more Spectator podcasts, go to spectator.co.uk/podcasts.

Contact us: [email protected]
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
26 min
February 03, 2023 The Miriam Cates Edition
Miriam Cates is the Conservative MP for Penistone and Stocksbridge. Before becoming a Member of Parliament, Miriam worked as a science teacher and business owner and spent some years raising her three children at home.

On the podcast, Miriam talks about her entry into politics through village life as the local Parish Councillor; how her life as a mother has shaped her views on gender and online harm; and how the 2019 caucus operates.

Produced by Natasha Feroze.
Become a Spectator subscriber today to access this podcast without adverts. Go to spectator.co.uk/adfree to find out more.

For more Spectator podcasts, go to spectator.co.uk/podcasts.

Contact us: [email protected]
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
27 min
January 20, 2023 The Nimco Ali Edition
Nimco Ali is an activist, government advisor, author and FGM survivor. Born in Somaliland, Nimco moved to the UK as a child fleeing civil war. On holiday in Djibouti aged 7, she was subjected to female genital mutilation, a traumatising moment in her life that led her to become one of the world’s leading anti-FGM activists today. She went on to set up Daughters of Eve, a survivor-led organisation that has helped transform approaches to ending FGM, as well as the Five Foundation, a global coalition for the same cause. Now, Nimco travels the world to lobby governments to ban FGM and recognise the practice as a human rights issue. She is the author of What We Are Told Not To Talk About - containing 42 stories from 152 interviews and in 2019 was awarded an OBE for her groundbreaking activism.
Become a Spectator subscriber today to access this podcast without adverts. Go to spectator.co.uk/adfree to find out more.

For more Spectator podcasts, go to spectator.co.uk/podcasts.

Contact us: [email protected]
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
33 min

About Women With Balls

From the publisher's feed

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.