The Government is not "in a spot" over this. It has the expert opinion of the USCG, backed by the UK Coastguard, that all practical efforts have been made.
I can find no excuse other than electioneering.
Let's face it, the average parent/spouse is going to want every penny possible spending on this; who wouldn't? But it's the Government's job to think of all the people who will need rescuing next year.
Every penny spent on this from now on is money that won't get spent on the next rescue. Will the RAF's budget get increased next year to pay for this Herc? You know the answer to that. The only difference is that the cuts will come in places where people will subsequently die in less media-obvious places.
Or are people suggesting that these two coastguards are incompetent?