Tom Caygill

Research areas

Tom's wider research interests lie in parliamentary scrutiny of the executive and the legislative process. He is particularly interested in the relationship between executives and legislatures and the innovative ways in which parliaments seek to boost their influence with the executive. His interest in this area of legislative studies stems from the way governments within Westminster-style democracies can dominate legislatures. He received a PhD in Political Science from Newcastle University in June 2019, funded by the Economic and Social Research Council. His thesis examined post-legislative scrutiny in the UK Parliament and was the first systematic study of this type of parliamentary scrutiny. The thesis explored where and how often post-legislative scrutiny had taken place, what the processes of scrutiny involved, the extent to which committee recommendations were being accepted and how both Houses of the UK Parliament differ in their undertaking of it.

He has presented this research at European Consortium for Political Research and Political Studies Association Annual Conferences and at an ECPR summer school. He has also presented research at more specialist events, including events with the Westminster Foundation for Democracy.

His commitment to engagement and impact has been demonstrated through having given oral and written evidence to the Scottish Parliament’s Public Audit and Post-legislative Scrutiny Committee, as well as giving written evidence to both the House of Commons and House of Lords Liaison Committees for their respective inquiries into their committee systems. His drive to disseminate my research to both academic and practitioner communities has assisted him in building both national and international research networks.

Tom recently completed an academic fellowship with the Scottish Parliament on post-legislative scrutiny.

Selected Engagement activities:

• Institute for Advanced Legal Studies (University of London) & Westminster Foundation for Democracy. Certified Course on Legislative Scrutiny and Technology. Contributed to a session on ‘How technology can improve the effectiveness of committee work’. (January 2026).
• UK Parliament. Expert Seminar on Post-Legislative Scrutiny. – Delivered a presentation on post-legislative scrutiny in the Scottish Parliament. (September 2025).
• Scottish Parliament. Standards, Procedures and Public Appointments Committee. 'Committee effectiveness inquiry'. - Gave oral evidence on the committee system in the Scottish Parliament. (April 2025).
• Westminster Foundation for Democracy. Presented 'Post-Legislative Scrutiny in the UK' to a delegation from the Laos National Assembly. (March 2025).
• Scottish Parliament Information Centre (SPICe) Breakfast Seminar. Delivered a seminar on 'How well does the Scottish Parliament do post-legislative scrutiny'. (February 2025).
• Institute for Advanced Legal Studies (University of London) & Westminster Foundation for Democracy. Certified Course on Post-Legislative Scrutiny. Delivered a session on 'How can PLS have impact'. (2024; 2023; 2022; 2019).
• Mexican Congress. Certified course on Legislative Impact Assessment. Delivered a session on 'Post-Legislative Scrutiny in the UK Parliament. (May, 2024).
• UK Parliament. Seminar on Post-Legislative Scrutiny. Delivered a seminar on post-legislative scrutiny during the 2019 Parliament. (March 2024).
• Chamber of Deputies, Mexican Congress. International Congress on Legislative Impact Assessments. Delivered a session on ‘Post-Legislative Scrutiny in the UK Parliament’. (November 2023).
• Westminster Foundation for Democracy. Presented 'Post-Legislative Review and Scrutiny in the United Kingdom to a delegation from the Nepalese Parliament. (September 2023).
• Westminster Foundation for Democracy. Virtual meetings between MPs and parliamentary staff from the Jordanian House of Representatives and counterparts in the United Kingdom on legislative scrutiny. (March 2022).
• UK Parliament. House of Commons Liaison Committee. 'The effectiveness and influence of the select committee system inquiry'. - Submitted: Written evidence of post-legislative scrutiny in the House of Commons. (March, 2019).
• UK Parliament. House of Lords Liaison Committee. ‘Review of investigative and scrutiny committees inquiry’.  – Submitted: written evidence on ad hoc committees and post-legislative scrutiny. (March, 2018). Evidence and recommendations included and cited in final report. (July, 2019).
• Scottish Parliament. Public Audit Committee: Business Planning Session. Gave oral and written evidence on post-legislative scrutiny. (September 2016).

Press expertise

Tom has expertise in British and parliamentary politics and has undertaken interviews recently for the BBC Radio Nottingham, Hits Radio East Midlands, LBC News, Newzroom Afrika & Radio News Hub as well as publishing frequently in The Conversation.

Selection of recent interviews/comments:

• Hits Radio East Midlands - 21 July 2026 - Andy Burnham's appointment as Prime Minister
• Radio News Hub - 21 July 2026 - Andy Burnham's appointment as Prime Minister
• LBC News - 8 July 2026 - Nigel Farage's resignation and the Clacton by-election
• BBC Radio Nottingham - 23^rd June 2026 - Sir Kier Starmer's resignation as Leader of the Labour Party.
• Newzroom Akrika - 23 June 2026 - Sir Kier Starmer's resignation as Leader of the Labour Party.
• Manchester Evening News - 7 June 2026 - How good a mayor is Andy Burnham?

Selection of recent articles:

• The Conversation - 12 June 2026 - What John Healey’s resignation as defence secretary means for Keir Starmer and the UK - https://theconversation.com/what-john-healeys-resignation-as-defence-secretary-means-for-keir-starmer-and-the-uk-285111
• The Conversation - 6 February 2026 - How much trouble is Keir Starmer in? - https://theconversation.com/how-much-trouble-is-keir-starmer-in-275292
• The Conversation - 27 November 2025 - Will the budget save Rachel Reeves and Keir Starmer? Experts give their views - https://theconversation.com/will-the-budget-save-rachel-reeves-and-keir-starmer-experts-give-their-views-270519
• The Conversation -  26 September 2025 - Andy Burnham’s leadership ambitions: what is the path to mounting a challenge against Keir Starmer? - https://theconversation.com/andy-burnhams-leadership-ambitions-what-is-the-path-to-mounting-a-challenge-against-keir-starmer-266160
• The Conversation  -  5 September 2025 - What will Angela Rayner’s resignation mean for Keir Starmer’s government? Expert Q&A - https://theconversation.com/what-will-angela-rayners-resignation-mean-for-keir-starmers-government-expert-qanda-264714