THE correspondent (Letters, May 2) is mistaken when he believes that Great Britain has changed its name to the UK.

They are in fact two separate entities. Great Britain came into existence on May 1, 1707, as a result of the Act of Union and consists of England, Scotland and Wales.

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the legal name of our country and is self explanatory as one part of this realm (Northern Ireland) is not part of Great Britain but is part of the United Kingdom.

I am delighted to be English (we can trace our line back to the 16th century), glad to live in Great Britain and proud to be a citizen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

JOHN CHALLEN, West End.