[4] During the 1930s, and into the early years of World War II, he developed and coordinated many links among Britons who supported Nazi Germany, and arranged back channels to key leadership figures in the Third Reich, as well as with Fascist Italy.
[3][1] He also was involved with illegal and secret funding operations, including those of Honours trafficker Maundy Gregory; money from this operation helped fund Chamberlain's appeasement policy; among wealthy figures apparently involved were Canadian / Bahamian gold mining magnate Sir Harry Oakes.
[5] For several years a strong backer and close associate of Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain, who came to power in 1937 following the resignation of Prime Minister Stanley Baldwin, Ball had worked from the mid-1930s to secretly undermine anti-Nazi Conservatives, including Winston Churchill, as well as figures in the Liberal and Labour Parties who opposed far-right totalitarian regimes in Europe.
[3] From the mid-1930s into the early 1940s, Ball played a key role in secret direction and control of the weekly newspaper Truth, a pro-fascist publication.
The character "Joseph Balcombe", from the 2009 film Glorious 39, by Stephen Poliakoff, is based closely upon Ball; the role was played by actor Jeremy Northam.