I was taught 70kts as a 'bit of insurance' in case I got too slow on final
What horrible "teaching"; unfortunately, all too common these days.
Glad that you have figured out the right approach for yourself, Evo, but you shouldn't have had to do that! I agree with everything you say.
Flying a final approach at ~1.3 Vso should provide ample 'insurance', without risking a 'float'. Statistics vary from airplane to airplane, but typically there are more accidents from landing long than from stalling on short final (admittedly, the stall accidents are more likely to have fatal consequences).