The subject of this article is controversial and content may be in dispute. When updating the article, be bold, but not reckless. Feel free to try to improve the article, but don't take it personally if your changes are reversed; instead, come here to the talk page to discuss them. Content must be written from a neutral point of view. Include citations when adding content and consider tagging or removing unsourced information.
Please stay calm and civil while commenting or presenting evidence, and do not make personal attacks. Be patient when approaching solutions to any issues. Ifconsensus is not reached, other solutions exist to draw attention and ensure that more editors mediate or comment on the dispute.
This article was nominated for deletion on 2 August 2007. The result of the discussion was no consensus.
This article is within the scope of WikiProject Birmingham, a collaborative effort to improve the coverage of Birmingham on Wikipedia. If you would like to participate, please visit the project page, where you can join the discussion and see a list of open tasks.BirminghamWikipedia:WikiProject BirminghamTemplate:WikiProject BirminghamBirmingham articles
This article is within the scope of WikiProject Greater Manchester, a collaborative effort to improve the coverage of Greater Manchester on Wikipedia. If you would like to participate, please visit the project page, where you can join the discussion and see a list of open tasks.Greater ManchesterWikipedia:WikiProject Greater ManchesterTemplate:WikiProject Greater ManchesterGreater Manchester articles
This article is within the scope of WikiProject Northern Ireland, a collaborative effort to improve the coverage of Northern Ireland on Wikipedia. If you would like to participate, please visit the project page, where you can join the discussion and see a list of open tasks.Northern IrelandWikipedia:WikiProject Northern IrelandTemplate:WikiProject Northern IrelandNorthern Ireland-related articles
This article is within the scope of WikiProject Ireland, a collaborative effort to improve the coverage of Ireland on Wikipedia. If you would like to participate, please visit the project page, where you can join the discussion and see a list of open tasks.IrelandWikipedia:WikiProject IrelandTemplate:WikiProject IrelandIreland articles
There is considerable debate as to whether the second city is Birmingham or Manchester. This article should be used to provide a neutral summary of the debate, and should not seek to reach a conclusion either way.
Editors adding or restoring material that has been challenged or is likely to be challenged, or quotations, must provide a reliable published source, or the material may be removed.
Editors should view the archived discussions before editing here
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)[reply]
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)[reply]
