What's in a name?

Names and titles are important in politics as today's politicians strive to create tomorrow's history.

The SNP administration in Scotland has rebranded itself as The Scottish Government, although legally it will remain the Scottish Executive.

Gordon Brown is said to be relaxed about the change, although his officials still refer to an executive.

Tony Blair's Downing Street was less relaxed a few years ago when a Labour-led Scottish Executive suggested introducing the word "Government" into its official title.

The feeling then in No 10 was that it would be confusing for the Scots to have two governments and the idea was dropped. At the same time officials were content for the executive committee of the National Assembly for Wales, as legally it was, to rebrand itself the Welsh Assembly Government.

Perhaps they had greater faith in the ability of the Welsh to spot the difference, or at least not confuse Rhodri Morgan's administration with the UK Government.

Only since last year's Government of Wales Act was passed has the Assembly Government legally been able to describe itself in that way. Welsh Ministers were originally Secretaries, a distinction senior figures in the Blair Government chose to make to reflect the differing powers of the devolved administrations.

A nationalist-led administration in Cardiff Bay would presumably rebrand WAG the Government of Wales, a title many in Plaid Cymru have used since 1999.