Exmudmover and ICBM,
For what it's worth you are both (on completely different subjects) talking complete sense. F-35B will be a quantum leap for UK defence. I have made no secret of the fact that I think it's the wrong aeroplane - but there you go, it'll still be significantly better than anything we've seen so far.
A single QECV in the CV configuration would have been almost as ridiculous as two in the STOVL to my mind. We'd have ended up like the French, ragging the CDG and her air group senseless to prove the worth of the capability year on year.
A Hobson's choice if you will.
Exmudmover brings out a very good point. The FW FAA has been propped up by the RAF and Commonwealth pilots for as long as I can remember. I can't recall any significant plot to retain FW pilots and maintainers - moving them across the country, re-training on new jet not being great for retention. I cannot remember ever seeing any significant plot to recruit more either.
So whilst I think that for ease of career management, C2 and a degree of doctrinal purity the F-35B should be a naval jet we are left with the home truths that the RAF hasn't really ever taken sea basing seriously (and why would it?) and the RN has talked a good FW game but never actually done anything to strengthen and grow the cadre. In fact it sacked a third of the drivers (who aren't the be all and end all but they are in their own little way fairly important).
So, to my mind we need to pick who owns the jets. But again, we've created a Hobson's choice for ourselves.