28 August 2026
3.00pm – 4.15pm
Scottish Parliament, Edinburgh
Chair: John Smith Centre Director Eddie Barnes
Panellists:
Professor Angela O’Hagan is Chair of the Scottish Human Rights Commission. She was Professor of Equality and Public Policy at Glasgow Caledonian University and was also Deputy Director of the WISE Centre for Economic Justice. Her career encompasses leadership roles in the community and statutory sectors in Scotland, including as Director of Carers Scotland and Head of Campaigns and Communications with Oxfam Scotland. She was awarded the Jo Cox Award for Public Service and Activity Citizenship by the Political Studies Association.
Professor Adam Tomkins is the John Millar Professor of Public Law, University of Glasgow, and the author of the book On the Law of Speaking Freely.
Jason Boxt is a Principal at RXN in Washington DC. He has worked in public affairs and opinion research for more than 25 years, with expertise in communications and digital research, reputation and brand management, campaign and message development, and political strategy.
Nik Williams is a freedom of expression advocate based in Glasgow. He is the policy and campaigns officer at Index on Censorship and the co-chair of the UK Anti-SLAPP Coalition. He previously coordinated the inaugural year of the Media Freedom Rapid Response, which responds to violations of media freedom in Europe, and led the successful campaign to reform defamation law in Scotland.