Professor of Law, Ethics & Government, Durham Law School & Principal, Collingwood College, Durham University
Law, policy, and the future of British public life
A leading voice on citizenship, immigration, and British values shaping national debate and public policy.
➡️ Policy | Media | Speaking | Contact
A distinctive voice in law and public policy
Brooks combines academic research with real-world impact connecting ideas about justice with how institutions actually work. His work focuses on:
- Citizenship and immigration
- Justice and legal philosophy
- British values and social cohesion
Impact
A recognised authority on citizenship and immigration, Brooks’s work has contributed directly to the development and scrutiny of UK public policy. His research on the Life in the UK test identified issues of fairness and accuracy, informing parliamentary inquiry and government review.
More broadly, Brooks’s work has contributed to debates on immigration policy, border control and criminal justice reform, supporting more transparent, effective and evidence-based approaches to governance. His research has been cited in parliamentary reports (here, here and here) and has informed the work of government departments and public bodies, including the Law Commission’s simplification review of the Immigration Rules and an inquiry into electronic border management.
- Research influencing national debate on citizenship and immigration policy
- Evidence and engagement with UK parliamentary and policy discussions
- Media commentary across major UK and international outlets
Media & policy engagement
Brooks regularly contribute to public debate on:
- Immigration and citizenship
- British values and identity
- Law, justice, and public policy
He is a prominent public commentator on law and public policy, with over 2,000 broadcast appearances across BBC, ITV, Sky News and CNN, alongside regular contributions to national newspapers including The Times, The Guardian, The Telegraph and The Independent. Through this work, he has helped to promote informed, accessible and balanced public debate, strengthening public understanding of legal and constitutional issues and the role of evidence in policymaking.
Brooks serves in his third stint as member of the Fabian Society executive committee. His pamphlet New Arrivals won the Jenny Jeger Prize and was described by POLITICO as ‘the first major pamphlet on Labour’s immigration policy for over a decade‘.
Research and scholarship
Professor Brooks’s research spans jurisprudence, political philosophy and public policy with a particular focus on citizenship, punishment and global justice. His work has received international recognition. His theory of punishment was identified by UK Research Councils as one of the Top 100 Big Ideas for the Future, and his scholarship on capital punishment was cited by the Connecticut Supreme Court in its decision to abolish the death penalty in his native state.
He is the author and editor of numerous books and articles addressing the ethical foundations of law and governance, including Becoming British (described by Prime Minister Keir Starmer as ‘a very good and thought-provoking read‘), Punishment, Reforming the UK’s Citizenship Test, Climate Change Ethics for an Endangered World, The Trust Factor (quoted in the House of Lords), Rawls’s Political Liberalism (with Martha C. Nussbaum) and The Oxford Handbook of Global Justice. Brooks is the founding editor of the Journal of Moral Philosophy and serves on more than twenty editorial boards, including the Hegel Bulletin,Journal of Criminal Law, Journal of Global Ethics and New Political Science as well as ten academic book series.
Speaking & public engagement
I have delivered keynote lectures and policy briefings across the UK and internationally — including at universities, parliaments, and public forums. Professor Brooks has advised the Home Office, Ministry of Justice and Law Commission, and serves on expert groups including the Office for National Statistics Migration Statistics User Group. He is cited by the Electoral Commission on the EU Referendum recommending changed wording that was accepted by government and later described by ITV News as ‘the man behind Leave and Remain‘.
He has also advised the BBC on legal and immigration matters for Call the Midwife and Rip Off Britain, and supported the Home Office on the implementation of the National Security Act 2023, for which he was formally thanked in Parliament.
He served as President of the Society of Legal Scholars (2020–2021), the principal learned society for legal academics in the UK and Ireland, and only the second President in its history not British or Irish by birth. During his presidency, Brooks co-hosted a landmark cross-society conference with the Law Commission, contributing to its 14th Programme of Law Reform.
He has held visiting positions at leading universities including Chicago, Columbia, Harvard, LUISS, NYU, Oxford (St John’s College), Penn, St Andrews, Uppsala and Yale , a former Senior Associate Research Fellow of the Institute of Advanced Legal Studies and previously taught at Newcastle. He is a Fellow of the Academy of Social Sciences, Member of Academia Europaea and Academic Bencher of Inner Temple among other memberships.
Leadership
As Principal of Collingwood College, Brooks focuses on:
- Developing student leadership and opportunity
- Connecting universities with public life
- Building a world-leading college experience
Professor Brooks is the founding Director of Collingwood Future, an interdisciplinary initiative focused on AI for impact, ethics and leadership, launching in 2026. The initiative brings together expertise from academia, industry and public policy to prepare the next generation to lead in an era of rapid technological change. It supports the development of responsible and ethical approaches to innovation, aligned with the United Kingdom’s ambition to be a global leader in safe and effective use of artificial intelligence.
Advisory & consultancy
Brooks works with institutions and policymakers on:
- Public policy and legal reform
- Strategic leadership in higher education
- Media and communications
Contact
For speaking engagements, media enquiries or collaboration opportunities, please get in touch: thom.brooks at durham.ac.uk
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