What's happened to my rose?

It was normal last year.
Do they get some sort of gall mite? Thrips?

 

You have fed it and kept it moist, haven't you? How big is the pot? It looks a bit on the small side. Should be at least 50 - 60cms tall and wide. Did you change the top few inches of compost?
The paleness looks as though it's hungry.

 

The pot seems big enough for now, top dressed and watered enough. I have a suitable container to move it on or I could plant it out of we get some proper rain ( some hopes)
Should I cut out the weird-looking stems or leave them?
I'm inclined to cut it back to sticks before I do anything.

 

I wouldn't worry too much about the odd looking leaves. Regarding the yellowing ones, with them being at the bottom, that suggests a deficiency of a "movable nutrient", in which case the plant prioritises the leaves at the top at the expense of the bottom ones, as they get more sunlight. Usually the culprit is nitrogen deficiency. But overall, I wouldn't cut it down personally, I would just feed it and give it some TLC (and possibly a bigger pot). I would remove the yellow leaves.

 

I will do it. However, I'm not that keen on it. It's one of those roses that a non-gardener buys in a garden centre because the name seems appropriate. I wish they wouldn't! Ungrateful or what?

 

I don't think that's ungrateful, even if you appreciate the thought that doesn't mean you have to like the plant...

What I would do in a similar situation would be to get a really cheap large plastic pot, move it to that, feed it, remove the yellow leaves and then re-gift it. There are local Facebook groups where if you offer something for free, people will be knocking on your door within 10 mins

 

Plant it somewhere not 'first division', where it has an evens chance and forget it for a while, maybe longer that that....

 

That's the plan! @infradig

 

I've had a good look. It definitely has plenty of room - for this year anyway. Then I'll do what @infradig suggests. I don't want to waste a good container on it.