Looking at the routes that FR have launched from LBA, maybe FR's strategy is to specifically take LS head on. As I said before, FR do not go head to head with U2 on many route pairs.
I wonder if they think that LS are more vulnerable than other operators because of their package holiday business and that their focus on outbound traffic from the North of England & Scotland makes them less agile than U2 and FR - ie they they cant move aircraft to overseas bases?