OK, I was fooled by believing the email stating that VLM are not going to be operating Flybe flights from Manchester (the way it was worded was that VLM were not going to be involved at all, but maybe it was supposed to be only relevant to specific flights). I can see that people on here know better than Flybe's customer services.
I was merely motivated by alarm at the chaos of Flybe's schedule, the lack of explanation given and the apparent acceptance of this as normal, whilst I flew with Flybe twice a week through the winter and only had two serious delays.
You can put my guesswork right without being quite so conceited and contemptuous though, folks!