CG125 problem again.... Help please

Last time I had the needle out of the carb (When I replaced the throttle cable earlier this year) I saw the clip was held on the middle groove of the needle which is the spec in the Haynes. I never found any reason to change the setting on that. Valves were adjusted in August last year at the same time as I replaced the head and base gaskets, valve stem oil seals and the rocker cover gasket. Again this was adjusted to spec and shouldn't have changed much as the bike has done roughly 500 miles since then.

 

I have no doubt the bike was sound when I got it, its an old bike shit happens I need to bite my lip and just sort the fucker Hahaha

 

My old CG125 (C reg, 1985) would only need full choke to start when it was freezing or below. And wouldn't run on full choke at all, had to go down to half choke immediately. In either case only neded half choke for about 30 seconds to run properly with no choke at all.
My guess would be float height and / or pilot screw setting is out, if it needs choke to run.
Those engines are incredibly tough. I've known one which still ran happily (if noisily) with dips in the top of the valve stems so you couldn't set the clearances, plus the rocker pivot shafts worn so much the whole rocker lifted up and down by about half a mm on it's own.
I presume you have checked for air leaks at the carb to inlet manifold and manifold to head joints, and that the carb top is securely screwer into place and not giving any air leak?