Leon,
We are broke. Overspent by billions due to profligacy under the last govt. I hasten to add under previous Defence Chiefs aswell (of all 3 Services) who allowed this deficit to build up whilst pretending that all was well in the house of cards. Look at Defence spending as a proportion of GDP over the years.
Draken,
CAS was told to save money along with the other Service chiefs. That money had to come from somewhere. That does not mean that some sort of conspiratorial stitch up exercise went on with Harrier. RAF aircrews were put out of cockpits aswell as RN aircrew. The cuts have induced an unbelievable paranoia at all levels.
It's time to get over it and move on to the next crisis in Defence. Harrier is not coming back rightly or wrongly.