RP, the meeting between the PM and BAE is clearly a red herring - that hare had been running for 12 years.
A wing design problem would appear to be a more realistic issue but if true a damning indictment of BAE's design skills.
Biggus, and the short version? I know the Eurofighter 2000 was a similar can of worms. I recall a meeting that concerned the video map display, in particular the TAP display which was to be limited to 16 colours and the difficulty of getting the text right way up with the map track orientated. Of course 25 years on my cheap as chips Satnav, indeed any Satnav, does this and more.
Were they chasing a will o the wisp? Perhaps what made the Mk 1 such a success was the kit was all off the shelf.