Why Britain kept to carrier treaty limits

Why did Britain keep to the treaty carrier limit when other powers were already bending the rules?

An open breach would free every other navy to exceed its limits, and Britain still wanted the treaty's spending restraint.

Other powers bent treaty rules, but an openly excessive carrier count would be visible and easy to challenge. Once Britain broke the national limit, rival navies would gain political cover to do the same. British governments also used treaty compliance to restrain defense spending while directing money elsewhere. Arms-control credibility and domestic budget choices both mattered, so the carrier limit was more than a purely legal obstacle.