A CPI’er in Newman House

Hi, my name is Kevin Regan. I am on the 2006-07 Catholic Parliamentary Internship programme. The internship involves working for an MP in Westminster, studying Christian Social Ethics at Heythrop College and living at Newman House. This year I have been working for Nigel Waterson who is MP for Eastbourne. Nigel is also Shadow Pensions Minister and Shadow Minister for Older People.

In terms of work, in the morning I run my MP’s office, opening his post, checking his emails, organising his dairy, and keeping on top of what the newspapers are saying. In the afternoon I then get stuck into more detailed research.

Just a few of the highlights have been meeting the Prime Minister on my second day, seeing the weird and wonderful aspects of the Conservatives at the Party Conference, having tea with Des Browne, working on the Conservative Pensions Bill 2006 team, writing speeches and articles, and representing Nigel at events and engagements in his absence.

Every Monday has been our MA Class in Ethics at Heythrop College, in our first term we looked ‘Principles in Christian Ethics’, in our second term we studied ‘Ethical Issues Today’. It made Mondays really long days but it’s been worth the effort.

At Newman House, it’s been a fantastic year, there has been at least one big party each term, International Night (My contribution was glasses of Guinness), the Christmas meal and party, the Casino Night. There have also been other things going on such as the Academic Mass as Westminster Cathedral and talks by Ann Widdecombe and Baroness Cox.

My house duty was looking after Eucharist Adoration Vigil. This included twisting peoples arm to sign up for watching, getting other students to play music, and cooking a fry up for everyone when it had finished. I did set fire to the sausages and set the fire alarm off at 7 in the morning, but other than that it all went well!

There has also been a gang of us who’d go out for a drink, watch films, sport or TV together and there has also been time to show other Newman’iites around Parliament.

I’ve loved living at Newman House, it’s been great to come home to a relaxed and happy environment after long (sometimes stressful) days in Parliament. I’ve made loads of friends and know I’ll be seeing more of them next year.