Britain and the European Union are set for a messy divorce if Monday's first round of formal talks is any indication. British negotiators appear to have readily conceded the key European demand to keep discussions on free trade on hold till the cost of the multibillion-euro UK divorce settlement is settled. In a sense, both sides have at the threshold agreed to disagree. The tactical dominance of EU has thus been reinforced and on a contentious issue.
Brexit secretary David Davis seeks to put up a brave face when he insists that the "initial retreat" of Whitehall is consistent with the government's long-term strategy. “It’s not how it starts, it’s how it finishes that matters,” was Mr Davis' somewhat strained defence in Brussels after the first day of formal talks. “Nothing is agreed until everything is agreed.” Theoretically, he is right. Yet the fact of the matter must be that Theresa May's team is not in a position to assert itself to the extent it would have wanted to.
The crucial negotiations have been convened in the immediate aftermath of the serial shocks that 10 Downing Street has suffered, notably the terrorist outrage in Manchester, the devastating fire in a highrise, the electoral setback of the Conservatives, and the upward curve in the prospects of Labour, indeed the "Remain" camp. Negotiations at the high table in Brussels have not exactly turned out to be the “row of the summer”, as Mr Davis had envisaged. Britain was anxious to avoid being held to ransom over the divorce settlement, and had hoped that trade talks would be held in parallel with the pullout discussions.
In the net, the terms of withdrawal have been accorded precedence over trade. Small wonder that a politically weakened delegation from London had no option but to accept the priorities set by the EU headquarters.
The other prickly issue, in addition to free trade and the terms of the withdrawal, is the rights of EU citizens living in Britain. There may be hope yet for this segment not least because the British Prime Minister is scheduled to visit Brussels very shortly to unveil the terms of a new British offer to guarantee the rights of these citizens, post the withdrawal from EU.
While the details of the offer will be published in a paper next week, Whitehall has assured EU citizens that it will be a "generous offer". Yet another irritant is Britain's border with Northern Ireland, if and when the withdrawal materialises. Whitehall, for now, will have to contend with the shelving of parallel talks on trade.
There are fears that the EU might extract the highest possible divorce settlement from an atrophied government in London. Mrs May must hope that Brexit does not extend the loop of her setbacks.