Do you agree? the time has come to grasp the nettle.

[anotheoldgit]

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/this-brit ain/the-big-question-is-britain-going-to-be-ab le-to-support-an-everexpanding-population-1669 928.html

The problem of an ever increasing population growth in Britain, needs more urgent action than the present policies on climate change.

Policies on climate change will not work if we continue to allow the population to increase unchecked.

[daffy654]

I thought the phrase was 'grasp the mettle'.

[Oneeyedvic]

no definitely 'nettle' - comes from the fact that if you brush against a sticking nettle it will sting you. If you press your fingers onto the nettle, it won't sting.

[daffy654]

After a quick google it seems the two words are interchangeable...both mean the same thing(sort of).lol
I was brought up hearing grasp the Mettle,maybe it is a regional thing. :)

[anotheoldgit]

How easy it is to get side-tracked.

[daffy654]

As I said Mani-maybe it is a regional thing.I was brought up in Leicester and it was definitely 'mettle' back then.

[jake-the-peg]

This is nonsense.

Carbon emissions are no respector of nationality.

Reducing immigration into the UK has very little to do carbon emissions.

World population has everything to do with it

It's deliberate,willfull muddying of the waters for mischievious effect.

[rov1200]

In some parts of the world its not uncommon to have 10 people share a room however in this country it is abhorrent to many. The population explosion in the UK is solely down to immigration,legal or illegal, and if this is not curtailed our towns and cities will reach bursting point. From the centre of London requires over 1 hours driving to reach farmland and the green belt is being eaten into like a cancer.
The population is already too high and needs to be reduced unless we are all to be like caged rats looking for an exit.

[mccfluff]

i always thought it was mettle (south west )

[Quinlad]

Show your mettle. Grasp the nettle.

[rov1200]

AOG was right. Official!

http://www.phrases.org.uk/bulletin_board/53/me ssages/754.html

[Fingerprint]

I've never heard of grasp the mettle?

[sp1814]

Never before have I see such a stupendous amount of sidetracking.

Well done you magnificent pendants ;-)

[Quinlad]

"have I seen"

And you missed a comma.

:-)

[BilluSugger]

^^ and I presume you mean 'pedants'

:-)

[anotheoldgit]

The worlds going to 'hell in a handcart', and all you seem bothered about are corrections.

No wonder we are in the mess, we now find ourselves in.