WE waited with baited breath for weeks, months, some of us years.

And then last week the once in a generation moment came at last; Prime Minister David Cameron revealed his hand in his quest for Britain to have greater say in Europe.

It wasn’t quite with the pizazz that we’ve come to expect from Brussels.

For a start, there were limited free refreshments to those invited. And it was all done with a great deal of efficiency too with not a jot of red tape in sight.

For those of you that haven’t read the document(I know most of you have), there are four key areas which the PM wanted movement on: economic governance, competitiveness, sovereignty, and immigration.

All four are key things that have been keeping eurosceptics awake at night since 1973 when the UK signed up to the common market.

Between all the twonk speak and bureaucratic nonsense, there are some clear wins for Britain.

Firstly, on economic governance, the document states that the single currency is a matter of choice and is not compulsory.

What’s more is that anyone who is not in the Eurozone will not be discriminated against in Brussels.

In layman terms, the pound will stay for as long as we want it to. Win.

On competitiveness, it said red tape will be cut, costs to small businesses reduced and an ambitious trade policy pursued. Win.

On sovereignty, the document states that “ever closer union” is about trust and understanding, not political integration, while the UK is specifically mentioned as a unique case that must be recognised. Win.

And on the final one: social benefits and free movement, the document accepts that EU migrant workers cannot have an unconditional right to welfare benefits in other member states.

Freedom of movement will remain but the proposal to index some payments to a claimant’s country of origin and the plan for a so-called emergency brake on migration have been put down on paper.

It’s not everything Cameron wanted but it is a win. Believe it or not, that was the easy work for the Prime Minister.

Now, it’s on to the hard stuff – persuading fellow EU leaders to adopt it and then, persuading the British public it gives them enough.

Which one is hardest is open to debate.

The first, talking to fellow EU leaders, will be the more immediate.

Cameron’s charm offensive has already begun with the Danes seemingly won over, the Poles a little more hesitant and the Czechs and Slovaks less than impressed.

That’s better than a few months back.

But it’s worth remembering that the PM needs the backing of all 28 EU leaders for his draft renegotiation package.

And he only has a few days to do it, with the summit later this month the big moment if the planned UK referendum in June is to happen.

It’s a tight schedule and given how hard the PM has worked on getting the deal in the first place, he won’t want to change it too much for risk of being ridiculed as weak back home.

And I’m not sure it will.

Why? It ‘s worth looking at the note that Donald Tusk wrote to coincide with the release of the UK deal.

Before going into detail about specifics, he said: “I deeply believe that our community of interests is much stronger than what divides us.

“To be, or not to be together, that is the question which must be answered not only by the British people in a referendum, but also by the other 27 members of the EU in the next two weeks.”

He went on: “To succeed we will all need to compromise. To fail would be compromising our common future.”

That, to me, implies that some conversations have already taken place and that there’s not a single country in the union that is so upset they will risk upturning the apple cart.

In fact, most leaders, I would imagine, would be happy that somebody else is seeking assurances and answers on questions that exist in all countries, particularly at this time of large levels of migration.

Back home is where Cameron has the biggest problem.

Not with Nigel Farage and Ukip, nor even within his own party where the dissenting voices are starting to merge into the background. The biggest problem is on Fleet Street.

For all of his wins, the deal presented last week was accompanied by some very negative press coverage – something the Conservative leader is not used to.

Whenever Europe is mentioned, the majority of the media go off like an over-active car alarm.

Let the battle commence.It’s thanks to them that Cameron’s EU deal has been turned into a EU-rgh deal.

Is it that bad? No. In fact, it’s probably a bloody good deal out of a body that’s notoriously difficult to deal with.

After years of waiting, the time has come for the UK to discuss Europe properly, without hyperbole and scare stories, simply with a level head.