The question of England's second city has sparked debate for decades. Birmingham has traditionally held the title, but Manchester's cultural and economic growth has made it a strong contender. With public opinion divided, the discussion is as relevant as ever.
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00:00While Birmingham remains the largest city outside London, Manchester's influence in
00:06culture, sport and innovation has positioned it as a rival for the status of second city.
00:12One Manchester Street vlogger who believes the city deserves to be recognised as second
00:17to the capital gave his thoughts in a recent video.
00:21The amount of investment and apartments being thrown up around here is incredible. Maybe
00:28Birmingham's too close to London to be a true second city. Glasgow, Edinburgh are too
00:33far away, whereas Manchester is in that nice sweet spot. Not too close, not too far, and
00:40you know, in the honour of great seconds in life, like Buzz Aldrin, maybe Manchester is
00:49going to take that little demented crown of being second best.
00:52With such strong opinions from proponents of Manchester, famed for its music legends,
00:58football giants and vibrant culture, we've taken to the streets of Birmingham to find
01:02out what local residents think about this long lasting debate. Does Birmingham still
01:07have the edge, or has Manchester closed the gap?
01:11Birmingham obviously. I think Birmingham. I love Birmingham. Yeah, Birmingham. No, Birmingham's
01:17always the second city. It's got to be, definitely. Manchester's nowhere near.
01:23I think Birmingham, because I've never been to Manchester.
01:27Birmingham can improve a lot, but with what's going on with council cuts and everything,
01:33nothing's going to improve around here, so people are just accepting it for what it is.
01:39No, Manchester's not. Manchester's the third city. Well, that's debatable. Anyway, I think
01:44Liverpool is the third city, but Birmingham is still the second city, and there's still
01:48a buzz. Ever since we had the Commonwealth Games, I think, you know, still a good place
01:54to come.
01:55Manchester can do what it likes. Birmingham's the second city. Yeah.