Lots to absorb from today’s UKSC jmt in Dillon, but on a first reading para 145 strikes me as particularly potent. For the law to have had anything like the effects for which certain parties (and commentators on here!) have contended would require much clearer language than was actually enacted.

Just a wee warning: the UKSC does not in fact rule that Art 2 of the Windsor Framework can have no direct effect. It rules that it does not have the particular direct effects contended for by the applicants in this case.

Our new exhibition is a must-see.

”We are such stuff as dreams are made on, And our little lives are rounded with a sleep…” One of Shakespeare’s last plays, The Tempest, was first performed at Whitehall Palace in 1611, & printed in First Folio 1623. The Tempest painted by Hogarth c 1736 Nostell Priory National Trust #ShakespeareDay

A huge thank you to everyone who made the Economic Aspects of the Constitution conference such a success. Special thanks to Paul Scott for organising a thoughtful and timely event, and to all our speakers for their insightful contribution. #EconomicConstitution #PublicLaw #ConstitutionalLaw

Adam Tomkins: On ABJ: Proscribed Organisations, Proportionality, and Freedom of Speech ukconstitutionallaw.org/2026/04/20/a...

University of Glasgow #scotland #photography

Huge thanks to Seamus Perry for nominating On the Law of Speaking Freely as one of his books of the year in this week’s New Statesman

Really looking forward to presenting to wonderful colleagues at Glasgow tomorrow on some recent work about Irish parliamentary culture and practice.

Looking forward to tomorrow afternoon's @uofglaw.bsky.social Public Law Research Cluster seminar, when David Kenny (@dkennytcd.bsky.social) of @tcddublin.bsky.social will present his paper 'Ireland, Westminster, and Political Constitutionalism'.

The audiobook of ‘On the Law of Speaking Freely’ by @proftomkins.bsky.social is available now! Chosen by Lord Sumption as one of The Spectator’s Books of the Year: “Much more than a law book … It deserves a much wider readership than just lawyers.” 🎧 Listen here: https://adbl.co/44zOMbP

🙌 A big thank you to @proftomkins.bsky.social who joined us and a room full of students and academics last week to discuss his new book: "On the Law of Speaking Freely"! 📰 Read Centre Director @eddiebarnes.bsky.social's takeaways from the event on our blog: www.johnsmithcentre.com/news/we-simp...

In this week’s Spectator:

🎤 “We can’t grow unless we hear from others whom we disagree with or who are telling us things we do not already know.” @proftomkins.bsky.social speaks about free speech and why it’s important for public debate and individuals. @uofgsocsci.bsky.social @uofglaw.bsky.social @uofglasgow.bsky.social

Call for papers for a workshop on Economic Aspects of the Constitution: www.gla.ac.uk/media/Media_...

Quite a day. Not only did I give my new work, on Swift and the Enlightenment Constitution, its first public outing, but Helen Dale’s deeply thoughtful review of my last project, On the Law of Speaking Freely, has been published here: lawliberty.org/book-review/...

⌛️ There's still time to get your free tickets to 'SHUT UP! Should offensive speech be free?', a John Smith Centre event with @proftomkins.bsky.social. 📅 28 Oct 2025 📍 Humanities Lecture Theatre, Gilbert Scott Building 🤝 Open to @uofglasgow.bsky.social students & staff 🎟️ 👇

IT'S TIME TO TALK ABOUT TALKING 🗣️ In our latest blog, @eddiebarnes.bsky.social writes on the importance of open debate and discussion ahead of our event at the University of Glasgow with @proftomkins.bsky.social later this month. Read it here 👇

📢 EVENT ANNOUNCEMENT 📢 Join us and @proftomkins.bsky.social to discuss the law and history around free speech. Open to @uofglasgow.bsky.social students and staff. 📅 28 Oct 2025 📍 Humanities Lecture Theatre, Gilbert Scott Building 🎟️ www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/1818334941...

Toadstools running wild

Published today: on how to fix free speech in Britain (for those who think it may be broken) lawliberty.org/the-uks-spee...

A new review essay by me on free speech and true speech, published today: lawliberty.org/book-review/...

Another opportunity to join Durham Law School as a three-year career development fellow in public law. A great Law School and a vibrant public law community with opportunities to teach in both core and optional modules, and excellent support for research. www.jobs.ac.uk/job/DNX378/c...

The audiobook of 'On the Law of Speaking Freely' by @proftomkins.bsky.social is out now! The book tackles the problems of contemporary free speech law by applying the lessons of the past to address the challenges of the present. 🎧 Find out more: buff.ly/V00s6Fk

For this week only, Hart are selling my book at a 30% discount, for £17.49. It’s a steal! Head over to Hart’s website to order it.

The audiobook of 'On the Law of Speaking Freely' by @proftomkins.bsky.social is now available to pre-order! 🎧 Find out more: buff.ly/CfWyv86

BOOK: Adam TOMKINS, On the Law of Speaking Freely (London: Bloomsbury/Hart, 2025), 280 p. ISBN 9781509972104, 22,49 GB esclh.blogspot.com/2025/07/book...

Many congrats on this, Paul. The PL team at Glasgow will support this in any way we can. Great stuff 👌

The audiobook of On the Law of Speaking Freely will be published on 10 July (the paperback and E-book editions are out now). In advance of the audiobook being released, here’s a clip:— m.soundcloud.com/bloomsburypu...

Likely not wholly coincidental, but I see Hart have published not one but two books on free speech today (one by my colleague @proftomkins.bsky.social): likely a nice review essay opportunity for someone. (Here: www.bloomsbury.com/uk/on-the-la... and here: www.bloomsbury.com/uk/free-spee...)

Looking forward to this Adam always sparks a debate and I dare say revels in them

This is now out in the world:

A lot of fun being back at the House of Lords Constitution Committee this morning giving evidence (aka my spring statement) about the rule of law.

A lot of fun being back at the House of Lords Constitution Committee this morning giving evidence (aka my spring statement) about the rule of law.

Tomorrow morning's oral evidence session before the Constitution Committee @houseoflords.parliament.uk looks really interesting. Jan van Zyl Smit, Jeff King @ucllaws.bsky.social and @proftomkins.bsky.social will give evidence on the rule of law. It should be a high-quality discussion. Watch it 👇

A fabulous new opportunity: we at Glasgow law school are looking for an admin lawyer to join our incredible public law team. If you’re interested, please apply. If you know someone else who would be interested, please spread the word.

A fabulous new opportunity: we at Glasgow law school are looking for an admin lawyer to join our incredible public law team. If you’re interested, please apply. If you know someone else who would be interested, please spread the word.

Went to see the touring production of A Man For All Seasons. (Martin Shaw and Gary Wilmot both very good in their respective roles, the latter as the everyman/steward chorus.) And yes, this exchange hit home - perhaps best exchange about law in drama/film. youtu.be/PDBiLT3LASk?...

This will be great! Come along and hear what Humza and Gove have to say! Highly recommended.

Tremendous thread

According to Spotify my artist of the year has been Brahms and my album of the year has been Pierre Boulez conducting Mahler’s 5th (released in 1997). Sounds about right.

Thanks to Asanga Welilala @uoelawschool.bsky.social & @proftomkins.bsky.social @uofglasgow.bsky.social for hosting discussions of The Collaborative Constitution Dec 3rd, Stair Building, Glasgow Law School, 3pm Dec 4th, Old College, Edinburgh Law School, 2.30pm www.law.ed.ac.uk/news-events/...

It exists—well, in typescript. My book, On the Law of Speaking Freely, is written. All being well Hart will publish it in the spring.

I have lots of new public law followers, so should say that the @ukcla.bsky.social blog is always pleased to hear from possible contributors, in academia or in practice. We publish posts on UK public law, broadly understood.

UK competition for ECtHR Judge is being rerun – not enough candidates of sufficient quality! I applaud the emphasis on “ability to master unfamiliar areas of law“: the Court needs first-rate, impartial judges more than it does human rights activists. judicialappointments.gov.uk/applications...

Here's a starter pack of Public and Constitutional Law BSky accounts. It's mostly UK and Commonwealth lawyers/blogs, including some parliamentary people and govt lawyers. I've got a much longer list too (which includes US lawyers/blogs) go.bsky.app/25qHVZa

A wee break from book-editing to ramble on the hills behind my house, on a rare clear and bright day

Wow there’s a lot in this 👇& it would seem to validate the view that D Trump is much better prepared this time. His dismissal of ‘disinformation’ needs a carefully thought through response. As ever there’s bluster here in what he says but…1/2 m.youtube.com/watch?v=xJfU...

This is a great article. America is drowning in lies, which are told not so much to seek to persuade others as to shore up false beliefs, struggling in the face of the evidence. www.theatlantic.com/technology/a...