I think you will find that the RN would gladly have taken the Harriers back and indeed offered to do so 3 years ago when Torpy/Timo were playing their silly games.
I'm sorry but thats quite patently rubbish. The RN wants the best of both worlds. It wants capital ships and it wants aircraft to fly off them, but it doesn't want/can't afford to pay for both.
All the while the RAF operated the Harriers the RN were relatively happy, someone else was paying the lion's share of the cost and the FAA was kept turning over. But now, as a result of the political games the RN has played over the last few years, the RAF have been forced to make a choice. Either lose a small force of less-capable FJs that the RN has an interest in or cut a large slice of a more-capable fleet, resulting in two smaller, less economical to operate fleets?
The RAF brass have been pushed into a corner and have made a call. Perhaps the RN brass should have thought a little more carefully.