Second city of the United Kingdom

The second city of the United Kingdom is usually recognised as Birmingham. The title is not an official one and its reckoning is subjective and cultural: the UK has a primate city structure where London significantly surpasses other cities in size and importance and all other cities have much more in common with one another than with the capital.[1]

Population of UK cities over time

Different cities have held the title throughout history. In mediaeval England, the second-largest city was Norwich. It was surpassed by Bristol in the seventeenth century. By the nineteenth century, the label "second city of the British Empire" had emerged.[2][3] Glasgow was sometimes described as the second city of the Empire during the Victorian era. Currently, Birmingham is commonly referred to as the UK's second city, although Manchester has also emerged as a contender.[4][5][6][7] Edinburgh, Cardiff, and Belfast also have alternative claims due to their status as capital cities of the other home nations.[8][9][10]

History

The title Second City of the Empire or Second City of the British Empire was claimed by a number of cities in the 18th, 19th and early 20th centuries. Commercial trading city Liverpool was regarded as holding this title with its massive port, merchant fleet and world-wide trading links.[11][12][13] Liverpool was constantly referred to as the New York of Europe.[14] Glasgow (which continues to use the title as a marketing slogan),[15][16] and (outside of Britain or Ireland) Calcutta (modern Kolkata)[17] and Philadelphia.[18]

Prior to the union with Scotland in 1707, from the English Civil War until the 18th century, Norwich was the second-largest city of the Kingdom of England, being a major trading centre, Britain's richest provincial city and county town of Norfolk, at that time the most populous county of England.[19] Bristol was the second-wealthiest city in England in the 16th century;[20] and by the 18th century, Bristol was often described as the second city of England.[21] During the 19th century, claims were made for Manchester,[22] Liverpool[23] and York.[24] York had also been named as the second city in earlier centuries, by virtue of its prominence in Roman times as the northern capital, Eboracum, of the Roman province of Britannia Inferior.[25]

By the early 19th century, Glasgow was frequently referred to as the second city;[26] and during much of the 20th century it had a population of over one million, larger than that of Birmingham until the 1951 census. For example, the Official Census population for Glasgow was 0.784 million in April 1911; 1.034 million in April 1921; 1.088 million in April 1931 and 1.090 million in April 1951.[27] However, slum clearance in the 1960s led to displacement of residents from the city centre to new communities located outside the city boundaries. This, together with local government reorganisation, resulted in the official population of Glasgow falling sharply. The Glasgow City Council area currently has a population of 600,000 although the surrounding conurbation of Greater Glasgow has a population of 1,199,629.[28] In contrast, the population of the city of Birmingham has remained steady around the one million mark; its central population fell like Glasgow's, but the city boundaries were extended several times in the early 20th century. Occasional claims were made for Liverpool,[29] Birmingham[30] and Manchester.[31]

Modern points of view

Birmingham has generally been considered to be the second city of the United Kingdom since the time of World War I.[32] However, in recent years Manchester has been pitched as a contender for the title.[32]

Population

Birmingham is the more populous city and is recognised as such by His Majesty's Government.[33][34] However, confusion surrounding the correct way to define the two cities' populations, along with the publication of outdated, inaccurate or estimated population statistics, has sometimes led to erroneous comparisons between them.

According to the 2021 United Kingdom census, the City of Birmingham is the most populous local government district in the United Kingdom with a population of 1.145 million — substantially larger than the City of Manchester, which at 552,000 is only the sixth largest, behind Birmingham, Leeds, Glasgow and Sheffield.[35]

However, municipal boundaries are problematic for comparing modern cities: many suburbs of Bristol, Birmingham and Manchester fall outside city limits largely drawn up in Victorian times, and the surrounding conurbations and areas that can be considered part of each city are hard to define. Manchester is regarded as a particularly 'under-bounded' city, whose archaic boundaries no longer accurately reflect its true size.[36][37] To reflect this, the City of Manchester is sometimes conflated with Greater Manchester, the metropolitan county and combined authority which includes the neighbouring City of Salford and eight other metropolitan boroughs that broadly define the conurbation. According to the 2021 census, Greater Manchester had a total population of 2.868 million.[35] This is nonetheless marginally smaller than the equivalent metropolitan county and combined authority of the West Midlands, which comprises the cities of Birmingham, Coventry, Wolverhampton, and four other metropolitan boroughs, with a total combined population of 2.92 million.[35]

There are several drawbacks to this approach. The first is the arbitrary nature of the metropolitan county boundaries, which were drawn up in the early-1970s as administrative divisions and do not necessarily reflect the present state of either conurbation. A second drawback is the implication that each county is, in itself, homogeneous, thus ignoring the sensitivities of the distinct settlements which fall within the boundaries of the county but may not identify strongly with its principal city, for example the Black Country in the West Midlands,[38] or Bolton in Greater Manchester.[39] Relatedly, a third drawback is in the names of the counties themselves: Manchester has been able to leverage the name of its metropolitan county to build a cohesive "place brand",[40] whereas Birmingham's comparative sphere of influence tends to be hidden within the West Midlands moniker.[41]

In an attempt to circumvent the first of these drawbacks, the population of each city is sometimes taken to be the contiguous built-up urban area of their respective conurbations. According to a methodology defined by the Office for National Statistics in 2011, the Greater Manchester Built-up Area's population of 2.55 million is marginally bigger than that of the West Midlands conurbation, at 2.44 million. This disparity is explained by the area of green belt known as the Meriden Gap, which separates the City of Coventry from the rest of the West Midlands built-up area.[42]

An alternative methodology, based around the concept of primary urban areas, is used by Centre for Cities to publish urban policy research.[43] Primary urban areas are intended to allow economic and social comparisons between cities, using definitions less arbitrary than the administrative boundaries of local authorities, but avoiding some of the issues associated with agglomerating distinct urban settlements into single cities.[44] According to the Centre for Cities Data Tool, Birmingham's population in 2020 was 2.56 million, marginally ahead of Manchester's 2.52 million.[45]

At other times, the wider metropolitan areas of the two cities are considered. Compared directly, the Birmingham Metropolitan Area is the larger of the two, with an estimated 2021 population of 4.34 million as opposed to Manchester's 3.1 million.[46]

In the media

The media typically describe Birmingham as the second city.

Reporting on the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games in July and August 2022, ten of the twelve nationally distributed daily newspapers in the United Kingdom published articles referring to Birmingham as the "second city" of either the United Kingdom, Britain or England: The Times,[47] The Daily Telegraph,[48] The i,[49] The Guardian,[50] The Independent,[51] and The Daily Mirror.[52] The same phrasing appeared in the freesheet press, including The Metro[53] and City A.M.,[54] regional publications including The London Evening Standard,[55] The Scottish Herald,[56] The Northern Echo[57] and The Yorkshire Post,[58] special interest publications including The Voice,[59] and a number of international publications including The New Zealand Herald,[60] The Times Colonist[61] and The National.[62] Publications including The Financial Times[63] and The Scotsman[64] have also referred to Birmingham's second city status.

During the same period, the BBC published a "Brummies' guide to Birmingham and beyond" which contained the subheading "Something for everyone in the second city",[65] while Sky published a legacy piece discussing the concerns of "people who live in Britain's second city".[66] Other national broadcasters whose websites have, at different times, referred to Birmingham as the second city include ITV,[67] and Channel 4.[68]

Since 2010, major international news providers including Reuters,[69][70] The Associated Press,[71][72] Agence France-Presse,[73][74] Bloomberg News,[75] CNN International,[76] Al Jazeera[77] and The New York Times Company[78] have all referred to Birmingham as the second city of either Britain or England, although the descriptor "second-largest city" is also frequently seen. In 2019, an article in the New York Times suggested both Liverpool and Manchester might lay claim to being England's cultural second city.[79]

Travel and events publications including Lonely Planet,[80] Rough Guides[81] and Time Out[82] refer to Birmingham as the second city.

Public opinion polls

As the second city is an unofficial title and one of subjective opinion, a number of polls have been conducted over the years. Despite Birmingham being viewed as the traditional second city, public polls have shown a slight preference for Manchester since 2000:

  • A 2002 survey conducted by Ipsos MORI, commissioned by "Visit Manchester" (Manchester's tourism department), Manchester received the highest response for the category of second city at 34%, compared to Birmingham at 29%; and in the same poll, Manchester had the highest response for the category of third city with 27% of the vote, 6% more than the 21% for Birmingham.[83] 85% of respondents put London as first City.[84]
  • A 2015 survey by YouGov showed that 30% thought Manchester was the second city, 20% thought Birmingham and 12% thought Edinburgh.[85]
  • A 2017 survey by BMG Research, commissioned by the Birmingham Mail, showed 38% preferred Manchester as the second city versus 36% for Birmingham. 16% choose Edinburgh with 10% for other cities. The opinion poll also found a stark generational divide with 44% of 18 to 24 year olds choosing Manchester as their preferred second city compared with only 19% who stated Birmingham and 25% of this age group also selecting Edinburgh over Birmingham. However, of those 65 and older, 40% preferred Birmingham and 38% preferred Manchester.[86]

Ministerial statements

Although the government does not publish policy on the matter, ministers have tended to endorse Birmingham's status as the country's second city.

A notable exception was John Prescott, former Deputy Prime Minister and Member of Parliament for the constituency of Kingston upon Hull East, who concluded a conference speech in Manchester in 2007 with the words "...Manchester – our second city", although this was later played down by his department, claiming they were made in a "light-hearted context".[92] Prescott had previously declared Birmingham the second city while on a visit to the newly built Bullring Shopping Centre in 2003.

At different times, MPs representing constituencies in Manchester and Glasgow have spoken out in support of their respective cities' claims:

  • Graham Stringer, MP for Blackley and Broughton, stated "Manchester has always been the second city after the capital, in many ways it is the first. Birmingham has never really been in the competition."[92]
  • Sandra White, former Scottish National Party MSP for Glasgow, claimed "Glasgow was always seen as the second city in the Empire, and Glasgow is still the second British city."[92]

However, in 2007, Phil Woolas MP for the constituency of Oldham East and Saddleworth, former Minister of State for the Environment, appeared to concede the second city title to Birmingham, remarking: "And, of course, I, and colleagues in Manchester, am pleased to see its very sensible plans to relocate to Manchester – Britain's third city."[93]

Most recently, MP for Solihull, Julian Knight conceded that people see Manchester as England's second city but argued that "Birmingham is bigger, more diverse and frankly a more interesting place to be." He suggested that the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games would cement Birmingham's place as England's second city.[94]

See also

References
  1. "What Is the Law of the Primate City and the Rank-Size Rule?". ThoughtCo.
  2. Sidney Edwards Morse and Jedidiah Morse, A New System of Geography, Ancient and Modern, p.177, 1824
  3. Groom, Brian (25 February 2013). "Splendidly pointless second city debate". The Financial Times. Retrieved 19 October 2021.
  4. "10 reasons to visit Birmingham, Britain's second city". Lonely Planet. 7 February 2019. Retrieved 11 January 2022.
  5. "No prizes for coming third: The fight to be Britain's second city". The Independent. 16 May 2011. Retrieved 10 January 2022.
  6. "Splendidly pointless second city debate". Financial Times. 25 February 2013. Retrieved 10 January 2022.
  7. "Birmingham or Manchester: Which is Britain's second city? Obviously, it's Birmingham". New Statesman. 10 June 2021. Retrieved 10 January 2022.
  8. Hopkins, Eric (2001). Birmingham: The Making of the Second City 4850-1939. Tempus Publishing. ISBN 0-7524-2327-4.
  9. The New York Times, 6 August 1989: "Edinburgh's castle high on the rock has looked down on many a triumph and tragedy in the proud Scots capital, but every year since 1947, Britain's Second City steals the spotlight from London during the three weeks of the international festival."
  10. Hoge, Warren (25 June 2003). "LETTER FROM EUROPE; The Last Hard Case: Bleak, Stubborn Belfast". The New York Times. Retrieved 23 May 2010.
  11. "The Empire in one city?". Manchester University Press. Archived from the original on 28 July 2011. Retrieved 17 July 2009.
  12. "University of Liverpool - Research Intelligence Issue 30 - Against all odds". Archived from the original on 16 November 2007. Retrieved 8 October 2007. Liverpool University: "... the city's pre-eminent position at the turn of the 19th century resulted from the port's willingness to handle a very wide range of cargo (including millions of migrants to the new world). Liverpool was second only to London in this respect – and this, together with its great ethnic diversity, was the basis of its claim to being the 'second city of empire'."
  13. "Untitled Document". www.nottingham.ac.uk.
  14. "Port of Liverpool contact information". Worldportsource.com. Retrieved 13 September 2013.
  15. "The Second City". Glasgow City Council (glasgow.gov.uk). Archived from the original on 2 April 2007.
  16. Fraser, W Hamish. "Second City of The Empire: 1830s to 1914". The Glasgow Story.
  17. "Tourism of India – Special Feature – Relics of the Raj". Archived from the original on 14 August 2007.
  18. "Philadelphia, Pennsylvania facts, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania travel videos, flags, photos". National Geographic. Retrieved 13 September 2013.
  19. Williams, Laura; Jones, Alexandra; Lee, Neil; Griffiths, Simon. "Enabling Norwich in the Knowledge Economy" (PDF). The Work Foundation web pages. The Work Foundation. p. 11. Archived from the original (PDF) on 5 October 2007. Retrieved 20 August 2007.
  20. J. E. T. and A. G. L. Rogers, A History of Agriculture and Prices in England, p.82, 1887
  21. Charles Knight, The Popular History of England, p.8, 1859
  22. Robert Southey, Letters from England, p.177, 1836
  23. James Richard Joy, An Outline History of England, p.26, 1890
  24. John Major, Aeneas James George Mackay and Thomas Graves Law, A History of Greater Britain as Well England as Scotland, p.xxxvi, 1892
  25. John Macky, A Journey Through England, p.208, 1722
  26. For example, see T. H. B. Oldfield, The Representative History of Great Britain and Ireland, p.566, 1816 or Spencer Walpole, A History of England from the Conclusion of the Great War in 1815, p.103, 1878
  27. Roberson, D. J. (1958). "Population, Past and Present". Chapter 2 in: Cunnison, J. and Gilfillan, J. B. S. (1958). The Third Statistical Account of Scotland, Volume V. The City of Glasgow. Glasgow: William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd.
  28. "Key Statistics for Settlements and Localities Scotland". General Register Office for Scotland. Archived from the original on 27 September 2007. Retrieved 8 September 2008.
  29. D. Appleton, Appletons' American Standard Geographies, p.130, 1881.
  30. W. Stewart & Co., The Journal of Education, p.38, 1867.
  31. Chetham Society, Remains, Historical and Literary, Connected with the Palatine Counties of Lancashire and Chester, 1862, p.531.
  32. "England's second city". BBC Inside Out. 9 February 2007. Retrieved 7 January 2022.
  33. "News Story: West Midlands chosen for government pilot". gov.uk. 21 February 2022. Retrieved 10 September 2022.
  34. "Policy paper: Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games: the highlights". gov.uk. 2 September 2022. Retrieved 10 September 2022.
  35. "P01 Census 2021: Usual resident population by sex, local authorities in England and Wales". Office for National Statistics. Retrieved 28 June 2021.
  36. Using evidence: Greater Manchester Case Study (PDF). What Works Centre for Local Economic Growth. 2015. p. 7.
  37. Rae, Alasdair. "How Big is London?". Retrieved 10 January 2022.
  38. "The Black Country is not Birmingham says one MP in government meeting". birminghammail.co.uk. 11 November 2021. Retrieved 1 August 2022.
  39. "'Bolton is in Greater Manchester - get over it', says council leader Cliff Morris in Lancashire road sign debate". theboltonnews.co.uk. 17 October 2014. Retrieved 1 August 2022.
  40. "Marketing Manchester: Promoting Greater Manchester to a global audience as a place to visit, invest, meet and study". marketingmanchester.com. Retrieved 3 August 2022.
  41. "West Midlands: Telling a new story for the West Midlands to change perceptions on a global scale". rbl-brandagency.com. Retrieved 3 August 2022.
  42. "2011 Census - Built-up areas". ONS. Retrieved 4 July 2013.
  43. "The changing geography of the UK economy". Centre for Cities. 7 December 2015. Retrieved 12 December 2021.
  44. "Primary Urban Areas (PUAS)". State of the Cities - Making sense of cities. Department for Communities and Local Government. Archived from the original on 6 July 2007. Retrieved 6 September 2007.
  45. "Cities Data Tool". centreforcities.org. Retrieved 3 August 2022.
  46. White, Richard (2021). "Metropolitan Area population". World Population. Retrieved 31 January 2022.
  47. "Commonwealth Games 2022: Opening ceremony gets Games under way in Birmingham: The second city honoured its multicultural heritage at the opening of the Games in Alexander Stadium". thetimes.co.uk. 29 July 2022. Retrieved 1 August 2022.
  48. "In praise of Birmingham, our hidden jewel of a second city". thetelegraph.co.uk. 26 July 2022. Retrieved 1 August 2022.
  49. "Commonwealth Games 2022: Birmingham excited to 'show our wonderful city and region to the world'". inews.co.uk. 27 July 2022. Retrieved 1 August 2022.
  50. "'More than UB40 and heavy metal': Birmingham's alternative arts and entertainment". theguardian.co.uk. 29 July 2022. Retrieved 1 August 2022.
  51. "A raging bull and quirky opening ceremony prove there's life left yet in the Commonwealth Games". independent.co.uk. 29 July 2022. Retrieved 1 August 2022.
  52. "Tom Daley goes from voice of protest to messenger of hope at Commonwealth Games". mirror.co.uk. 29 July 2022. Retrieved 1 August 2022.
  53. "In Birmingham for the Commonwealth Games? Visit these Midlands gems nearby". metro.co.uk. 1 August 2022. Retrieved 1 August 2022.
  54. "The Commonwealths are the 'Local Global Games'". cityam.com. 29 July 2022. Retrieved 1 August 2022.
  55. "Commonwealth Games schedule: Day two events and start times at Birmingham 2022". standard.co.uk. 24 July 2022. Retrieved 1 August 2022.
  56. "Birmingham 2022 to get under way with Commonwealth Games opening ceremony". heraldscotland.com. 28 July 2022. Retrieved 2 August 2022.
  57. "Birmingham will be Durham-based physio's sixth major games as a volunteer". 27 July 2022. Retrieved 1 August 2022.
  58. "Jack Laugher leads Team England into Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games". yorkshirepost.co.uk. 28 July 2022. Retrieved 1 August 2022.
  59. "Eyes of the word paying close attention to England's Second City". www.voice-online.co.uk. 26 July 2022. Retrieved 1 August 2022.
  60. "Commonwealth Games 2022: A day out at the incongruous Birmingham beach". www.nzherald.co.nz. 2 August 2022. Retrieved 9 August 2022.
  61. "Island athletes keep medal streak alive as Ozzy drops curtain on 2022 Commonwealth Games". timescolonist.com. 8 August 2022. Retrieved 9 August 2022.
  62. "Commonwealth Games puts the spotlight on England's second city Birmingham". thenationalnews.com. 27 July 2022. Retrieved 9 August 2022.
  63. "Why Birmingham is now one of Europe's best cities for investors". bbc.co.uk. 22 May 2015. Archived from the original on 11 December 2022. Retrieved 1 August 2022.
  64. "Commonwealth Games 2022: How to get tickets, where are the games being held and what events are included". scotsman.com. 8 September 2021. Retrieved 1 August 2022.
  65. "Brummies' guide to Birmingham and beyond". bbc.co.uk. 1 August 2022. Retrieved 1 August 2022.
  66. "2022 Commonwealth Games: What legacy is in store for Birmingham after hosting the games?". news.sky.com. 23 July 2022. Retrieved 1 August 2022.
  67. "Birmingham 2022: The person behind the paddle, Charlotte Bardsley's journey to Commonwealth Games". itv.com. 18 July 2022. Retrieved 7 August 2022.
  68. "Channel 4 to go Inside Birmingham Children's Hospital". Channel 4. 29 January 2016. Retrieved 7 August 2022.
  69. "Malala calls for end to Syrian war, welcomes Syrian campaigner to Britain". Reuters. 22 December 2015. Retrieved 4 August 2022.
  70. "Bargain basement Games bring bang for buck to Birmingham". Reuters. 27 July 2022. Retrieved 4 August 2022.
  71. "Birmingham, the UK's second city, could be heading towards a local lockdown". euronews.com. 20 August 2020. Retrieved 4 August 2022.
  72. "Virus spikes in UK, new restrictions in Birmingham, England". news.yahoo.com. 11 September 2020. Retrieved 4 August 2022.
  73. "UK Police Probe Attacks on 5 Mosques in Birmingham". voanews.com. 21 March 2019. Retrieved 4 August 2022.
  74. "Britain gears up for keenly watched local elections". thejakartapost.com. 5 May 2021. Retrieved 4 August 2022.
  75. "Britain's Second City Fights to Save Its Brutalist Architecture". Bloomberg News. 5 August 2016. Retrieved 4 August 2022.
  76. "Kids are being taught about LGBTQ rights in these British schools. Some parents are saying no". 2 July 2019. Retrieved 4 August 2022.
  77. "One dead, two critical in Birmingham 'random' stabbing: police". 6 September 2020. Retrieved 4 August 2022.
  78. "Birmingham Looks to Recapture Its Glorious Past". The New York Times. 12 November 2009. Retrieved 4 August 2022.
  79. "A Tale of Two Cities". The New York Times. 19 October 2019. Retrieved 4 August 2022.
  80. "The 15 most fun things to do in Birmingham". lonelyplanet.com. 28 January 2022. Retrieved 4 August 2022.
  81. "Why the Birmingham 2022 Festival should be on your radar". roughguides.com. 29 July 2022. Retrieved 9 August 2022.
  82. "How Birmingham has transformed for the Commonwealth Games". timout.com. 28 July 2022. Retrieved 9 August 2022.
  83. "// Visit Manchester / Homepage //". Destinationmanchester.com. Retrieved 13 September 2013.
  84. "Manchester 'England's second city'". Ipsos MORI North. 2002. Retrieved 9 February 2007.
  85. "Manchester top choice for UK's 'second capital'". yougov.uk. 21 May 2015. Retrieved 25 March 2016.
  86. "The battle of the second city". Birmingham Mail. 13 January 2017. Retrieved 11 June 2017.
  87. "Jacob Rees-Mogg responds to Boris Johnson comeback rumours during visit to Birmingham". birminghammail. 28 July 2022. Retrieved 2 August 2022.
  88. "A second city that's second to none". gov.uk. 21 November 2016. Retrieved 2 August 2022.
  89. "Cameron: Birmingham is England's second city". Birmingham Post. Trinity Mirror. 13 February 2015. Retrieved 25 February 2015.
  90. "Manchester tops second city poll". BBC News. BBC. 9 February 2007. Retrieved 10 February 2007.
  91. "New Labour troubles". BBC Sunday AM. BBC. 5 March 2005. Retrieved 1 August 2007.
  92. "Prescott ranks Manchester as second city". Manchester Evening News. M.E.N Media. 3 February 2005. Retrieved 20 August 2007. We have had fantastic co-operation here in Manchester – our second city, I am prepared to concede.
  93. "'Setting the Standard' – Speech by Phil Woolas MP at the fifth Annual Assembly of Standards Committees on 16 October 2006". Department for Communities and Local Government. Department for Communities and Local Government. 16 October 2006. Archived from the original on 16 February 2008. Retrieved 2 September 2007. And, of course, I, and colleagues in Manchester, am pleased to see its very sensible plans to relocate to Manchester – Britain's third city.
  94. "'Birmingham bigger and frankly more interesting then Manchester' - and Commonwealth Games will prove it - MP". birminghammail. 5 November 2021. Retrieved 2 August 2022.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.