DAVID Cameron, so we're told, was "profoundly relaxed" about the fact 116 Tory MPs – half his backbenchers – took the opportunity to support the rebel amendment expressing regret that the UK Government's legislative programme did not include a commitment to hold a referendum on Britain's membership of the EU.
Presumably, this profound relaxation extended to his chum William Hague, hours and minutes before the Commons vote, desperately trying to persuade Tory backbenchers not to support the rebel amendment.
When the PM declared from the safe distance of New York that people should "not read too much into" the vote, you knew he was preparing for a bloody nose.
Once again, a Tory leader has been led along by the eurosceptics, who have won a concession here, sensed weakness, and gained a concession there.
The worst thing that happened to Mr Cameron this week was arguably being compared to the hapless John Major.
Now we have the prospect of the Tories' draft EU referendum Bill being pushed through Westminster under the guise of a Private Member's Bill.
It will be a three-line whip, so all Conservatives will have to attend and vote in the prescribed way.
Because Mr Cameron does not have a Commons majority, Ed Miliband and Nick Clegg could block it. But will they?
The more time the Tories obsess about Europe, the more Labour and the Lib Dems will feel they are digging their own electoral grave.
Meantime at Holyrood, the Conservative machinations allowed Alex Salmond to argue that if Scots really wanted a firm guarantee of staying in the EU, then they should vote for independence in that other referendum next year.
However, if Tory high command is correct and all this banging on about Europe is precisely what the public craves, then the pressure will transfer on to Mr Miliband.
And yet, if – despite all the Conservative iron assurances – voters still opt for Ukip in next year's European elections, what then for Mr Cameron's chances of being back in Downing Street in May 2015? No one will really know if his euro gamble has paid off until the Friday after polling day.
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