I am on the verge of submitting my thesis at UK institution. However, in the event that things don't go as well as planned I am a bit unsure about my rights regarding appeals:

1. Am I entitled appeal on grounds of "Inadequate supervision"?

2. Can I appeal on the grounds that I disagreed with the person my supervisors selected as an examiner - they seem determined to select an academic in the same department who has been critical of my thesis topic?

3. If I get offered a MPhil as "consolation prize" instead of a PhD, or if I fail outright, can I re-register at another institution, revise my thesis and then submit it as a fresh thesis?

4. If I get a MPhil as a "consolation prize" is there any academic path, short of doing a fresh PhD in the same subject, to getting it upgraded to a PhD?

Most of the responses to these questions are not set in stone - they are dependent on your own institution's regulations which you need to check. What I would say though, is if your supervisor was inadequate, and you are unhappy with your examiner - why have you not done anything earlier; that's rather lax.

""What I would say though, is if your supervisor was inadequate, and you are unhappy with your examiner - why have you not done anything earlier; that's rather lax.""

I have tried complaining several times about my examiner but my supervisors have pretty much ignored my protests and claimed that selection of the examiner is their perogative.

I have no answers to your questions as I've never submitted, nor known anyone who has appealed.

It worries me, though, that you're having to give serious consideration to these issues before you've even submitted. Is the situation with your supervision/examiners such that needing to appeal seems likely? If so I would get someone else in on the picture asap - a graduate tutor or someone in your department who is independent of your research group. If you haven't made them aware of the potential problems and the first they hear about it is if you need to appeal, then they might be suspicious about your motives. Make sure made someone aware of all these issues before you submit.

I do hope this all ends up being hypothetical for you. :-S

1. As per below, questions will be asked regarding why you didn't make a formal complaint sooner.....
2. I'm pretty sure your supervisors' choice of examiner is final. Whatsmore, very few supervisors would want the stigma of having you fail therefore it might be wise just to go with it.
3. Most universities require a minimum period of registration (2 years?) before you submit a thesis. Plus, you're not going to be able to submit work for a PhD at one institution, having been awarded an MPhil for the same work at your current one.