Who's number two?

Well, blow me - a public poll has suggested that the UK's second city should be Manchester rather than Birmingham, which has traditionally unofficially held that title. I need of course to declare an interest - I come from the Industrial West Midlands and Birmingham is our largest city.  Mind you, I am the first to admit that Birmingham is not what it was - the former "city of a thousand trades" became more and more reliant on the automotive industry and when that went into decline 40 or so years ago, so did the city.  It is still the largest city after London, but whether the title of second city should be based purely on population size is perhaps open to argument. Certainly recently Government seem to have given preferential treatment to what they have referred to as the "Northern Powerhouse" and so perhaps the tide is turning their way.  Can't see any point in Birmingham going into a sulk though - we are what we are and we know we're really the second city whatever anybody says!