A possible referendum, to be held after several more chapters of the unpredictable eurozone crisis, will seem like a sideshow.
The West had turned down the original proposal, suggesting the meeting open at the Foreign Ministers' level, with a possible summit meeting to be held later if progress is made at the lower level.
It is still possible for a general election to be held before the five years is up through a no confidence vote in the Commons.
A new Parliament is elected every five years, but it is possible for an earlier general election to be held.
As an admirer of Waugh's writing, George Orwell said that Evelyn Waugh was "almost as good a novelist as it is possible to be... while holding untenable opinions".
He is pushing for as many games as possible to be in Cardiff - I don't hold that against him.
But surely it's possible to hold the opinion that irresponsible bankers should be held to account and that it's damaging to leave people dependent on benefits.
It is perfectly possible to believe that footballers should not be held up as role models but to accept that for many children they are.
If it can be held to account, as it may now be, then it may be possible to hold other institutions to account.
Turnbull said the plebiscite should be held "as quickly as possible", and there was time to hold it this year.
To the extent possible, these meetings were held in public and formulated according to local protocols for community decision-making.
