GBP 10 million a copy? I'd guess that 10 billion for the program cost is what it should have been, which is about GBP70 million per unit (not a flyaway cost before anyone gets too excited).
The question "why not look at F-35C?" has been raised before and has made sense ever since it became clear that CVF had grown to Forrestal-class size. And aside from far greater range, better bring-back load, lower maintenance and better signatures I don't see any major disadvantages to the C, plus then a person could buy E-2Ds and solve the MASC problem.
BAE likes the F-35 because it has 20 per cent of the program. Half of that, though, is US based, which is perfectly ducky for Nashua, NH, but does little for the struggling black pudding refineries of Lancashire. And of course they'd like to do a Seaphoon (and that is hereby copyrighted BTW) study. Defence contractors like money and BAE's nightmare would be Rafale.