At your budget you’re going to have to compromise in the fork. Even at £1,300 I considered the fork on my Trek Stache to be budget, it was a Recon Silver and was replaced within weeks.
At least you can upgrade it if you decide you like the ride of a clown bike. I’ve seen a few secondhand Staches around for under £800, I like mine. It’s about as slack as you’ll go without stretching to something really pimp like a Yelli.
I’ve got a hankering for a Mona Honzo though, mainly to try the very short chain stays as mine does fell a little slow through my local twisty Singletrack since the autumn mud started to breed.