A strange turn of phrase

The BBC's article about the UK's ever increasing population has a rather odd title:

"UK population 'will be top in EU'"

"top"? The reality is in the next line

"The UK population is set to become the largest in the European Union, according to a report."

"Largest" makes sense, "top" does not; I wasn't aware that this was a competition and if it is, is it one the UK wants to be "top" of?


Even more bizarrely, the BBC are linking to the above article from the Politics home page with this wording

"How is the UK set to outdo every other nation in the EU?"

"Outdo", maybe the BBC still think it is the Olympics and biggest is best, or maybe this is just another part of their pattern of pushing the multicultural agenda whatever the cost.