DURING theGLASGOW’S Commonwealth Games opening ceremony, but in the BBC’s commentary booth. Hazel Irvine committed the cardinal Welsh sin by introduction Team Wales as a “principality”. Years on from the launch of the campaign for Wales’ transition from erroneously (for centuries) being called a principality to a country in its own right, this largely came to a head with an influential international body reclassifying us in 2011. After Our governments confirmed it was out-date.

Does it matter? Who cares whether Wales is described as a principality or a country? Well, it just does. Firstly, in a games where Wales is competing in its own right, among a huge array of countries, territories and dependencies etc, that distinction is all the more important.

Secondly, as Scotland’s independence debate has shown in the cold light of day, if the UK (with or without Scotland) is to continue, there has to be a greater recognition of the part played by each one in it. If Scotland goes, or gets a bunch more power in exchange for staying in the UK, Westminster and London need to wake up and smell the coffee and see its smaller neighbours not as subsidiaries, but as equals.

Andrew Nutt Heolddu Road Bargoed