I totally agree, I can't help but get the feeling that old STOVL habits die hard, and that the Harrier guard's nostalgia has a lot to do with this.
You would think that the RN would be happy to get away from STOVL when it was only a short sighted political decision that led them down that path in the 1970's in the first place. Does anyone think the Sea Harrier was more capable than the Phantom?