Home Countries - What’s that?

You have to laugh at the BBC (British Broadcasting Corporation) sometimes! We know that all of their propaganda at the moment is focused on undermining the campaign for an independent Scotland. This has now spilt over into their Commonwealth Games broadcasts. For those that live outside of the Commonwealth and might not know, the Commonwealth is an intergovernmental organisation of territories that were mostly associated with the British Empire. The Commonwealth Games is a sporting event that involves athletes of nations of the Commonwealth. It is held every four years and the 2014 event is being held in Scotland at this time.

If you watch the BBC coverage of the games it really is obvious that the usage of the term ‘Home Countries’  or ‘Home Nations’ has significantly increased. The Home Nations is collectively used to describe the countries that make up the United Kingdom (England, Scotland, Wales and the part of Ireland that continues to have an English colonial presence that they call Northern Ireland). Let’s put aside that the BBC will sometimes use the term in relation to the Isle of Man/Mannin (a participant in the games), which is incorrect as the Island is not part of the UK. However, Manx people have learnt to ignore that slur!

You will now notice that the BBC will describe an English victory as specifically belonging to England. However, a Scottish or Welsh success is referred to as a victory for one of the ‘Home Countries’! Needless to say at this stage Cornwall (Kernow) does not even rate a mention as its athletes are temporarily included in the English team. However, when Cornwall does participate in its own right, I’m sure they will never get an individual mention. England will be England and everyone else will be ‘Home Countries’! Don’t worry Scotland; after the referendum on independence you will be able to escape this nonsense.