Ipswich Central chief executive Paul Clement
- Credit: Sarah Lucy Brown
He said: "Becoming a city wouldn’t be a badge on a wall; if Ipswich were to be successful, it would really matter to its future, particularly for our young people.
"There are still only 51 cities in England. In the five years following the Queen’s last award, every one of those saw their local economy grow at a rate higher than the national average.
"Cities attract more inward investment and appeal to more visitors. That’s more jobs, new skills, higher wages and better opportunities for our young people.