Jacko,
I agree with many of your sentiments and I can see where you are coming from when you talk about the carriers not being what we should be spending our limited defence £s on with other pressing priorities out there (SH, R1 replacement, FJ sqns etc etc).
The CVF is undoubtedly a fantastic capability and one we should ideally have but as you suggest it may be a luxury that we could do without as it would mean HM Forces could then afford more of the basics; ie what I have mentioned above.
However, that is where IMHO your argument against CVF falls apart....
Its like this mate - if the carriers are cancelled, tomorrow or in 6 years time, HM Forces sure aint getting a nice big check for £3.5 billion for more of what we need. OH NO, that money will be FUC**NG GONE!
So lets just happily and gratefully accept our two (hopefully!) new big shiny carriers and be grateful for them and use em as best we can rather than get nothing at all....?! What do you reckon?!
Sense1