This sounds like an old-fashioned, “take my mother-in-law” type joke, but is the antithesis of funny: one in five British people would swap their dad for a better model. This is according to a new survey ahead of – you guessed it – Father’s Day in the UK, which also revealed that one in three pretend they have a better relationship with their dad than they really do. Many admitted they buy Father’s Day cards out of obligation rather than love, too. Oof.

As a result of this research, online retailer Thortful has launched a campaign called “Dad’s not perfect, but …” to challenge the stereotype of the “Best Dad Ever”, with a much more honest range of cards.

The company’s founder and CEO, Andy Pearce, said they provide a chance for customers to “mark Father’s Day in a way that reflects their actual relationship, not the one they feel they are supposed to have”.

While authenticity is, typically, to be applauded, and some of the options are a good compromise – “Dad, my therapist says thanks for all the business” – others are brutal. They include “Happy Father’s Day to a stranger with half my DNA” and........

© The Guardian