nugent was an extreme whig, or a whig-radical, in politics. he was a strong supporter of queen caroline of brunswick, and he visited spain as a partisan of the spanish liberals against the carlists. in the session of 1848 nugent moved for leave to bring in a bill abolishing the separate imprisonment in gaols of persons committed for trial, but the motion was lost. during the same session he advocated the abolition of capital punishment. in 1849 he voted for limiting the powers of the habeas corpus (ireland) suspension bill, and also supported a measure for the further repeal of penal laws.