When they changed the plan to Catobar they found they'd have to sell Queen Elizabeth to pay for it, so the changed the plan back again.
Yes although I still say going ski jump and F-35B vs. cats and traps and F-35C was a huge mistake.
The issue in Britain isn't whether the F35 is any good, it's how expensive it is. I think the bean counters in the Treasury wanted to buy second hand US F18s.*Also some saw this as an opportunity to ditch F35 if it bombed and go F18/Rafaele - I was always a bit skeptical of that as I never supped from the "The F35s a turkey" Cool Aid - even though it was all the rage.
Emals was never going to be ready in time and has continued to suffer delays, cost overruns and reliability issues - so even in hindsight I cannot agree with you as EMALS has yet to mature.
While it might now "be working" the choice to go Ski Ramp over EMALS had to be made when it was made ie at latest in 2011/12 when the Conservative/Liberal Democrat government delayed the program for just that reason (to go EMAL/Traps and F35C*) and at the time the cost and perceived maturity of EMALs was not looking that good and estimates then had the delays putting QEs commission date back several years to at least 2023 so the government reversed its decision and went back to Ski Ramp and F35B.
I wrote them a strongly worded letter telling them off at the time (that told them!) - but knowing what I know now - IMO they made the correct choice.
And it was EMAL or nothing as QE/POW are GT and Diesel powered - there is no reliable steam generation for a Steam catapult.
Maybe a future refit will see them converted to EMAL CAT and TRAP - thats for the future
*Also some saw this as an opportunity to ditch F35 if it bombed and go F18/Rafaele - I was always a bit skeptical of that as I never supped from the "The F35s a turkey" Cool Aid - even though it was all the rage.