Talk:Second city of the United Kingdom

The "generally been regarded" second city
The holder of the "Second city of the United Kingdom" can never be declared, since it is not an official designation and, as this talk page demonstrates, is hotly debated.

However, the article was quite clearly demonstrating an opinion that swayed towards Birmingham and, to a lesser degree, Manchester. There are sources to be found that argue for different cities, so it is not neutral to cite one of these and declare it as the one that has "generally been regarded". Regarded by who, other than the single cite provided? Equally we have the weaselly "considered by many". Who are these "many"? Other cities can equally make the same claims.

In the absence of an official title, all this article can do is list, in a balanced way, the cities that have been put forward for it. Summing up of these to declare any one "the winner" is dangerously close to original synthesis and expressing an opinion. Let the reader read the article and reach their own opinion. -- Escape Orbit (Talk) 16:15, 21 July 2021 (UTC)


 * This article is a tissue of OR, particularly with extensive recently added essay-like sections (and not a little article WP:OWNership). Suggest it might benefit from swingeing cutbacks to something encyclopedic - David Gerard (talk) 10:21, 4 August 2022 (UTC)
 * Agree. Really it's an article that needs sweeping back to basics. Koncorde (talk) 12:38, 4 August 2022 (UTC)
 * And I just removed an attempt to do an end-run around WP:NPOV and WP:DUE, which are hard Wikipedia policy. Don't do this - David Gerard (talk) 11:46, 1 September 2022 (UTC)