Jacko your last comments explain your hostility towards the Sea Harrier and the Royal Navy in general. Why do we need a blue water fleet you ask?
Didn't you do geography at school? Britain is a MARITIME nation. Throughout history our fortunes have been largely dependant on sea power and maritime trade. A capable blue water fleet is VITAL if the UK is to have any influence in the world.
We have interests around the world. Some strategic, some financial. We need the assets to protect these interests. More to the point, over 90% of UK trade goes by sea? Want to attack the Uk? Traditionally you do it by sea. Even today, a few submarines lurking in shipping lanes could serverely disrupt out economy. As for aircraft, what do you think they run on? Apple Juice? Oil, which has to be imported. These supply/trades routes need to be defended. Remember the attacks on oil shipping during the Iran/Iraq war? I seem to recall the deployment of naval forces by western nations.....
Of course, defence policy is the servant of foreign policy. This concept makes the loss of organic air defence even more disturbing. Should the UK be....
a) An extension of US foreign and defence policy, with every decision on deployment of British forces being made in Washington.
b) Part of an centralised Europe, with decisions being made in Brussels, regardless of British needs.
c) An strong ally of both Europe and the US, but a slave to neither, and with influence on both camps, and with the ability to act independently if required.
If you think c), then we need a capable blue water fleet, with the ability to operate in hosile areas. To do that, we need organic air defence. In other words, the Sea Harrier.