Destroying the subsidies that the previous governments had has made inflation worse in the short term but should improve it in the long term. He says this and people believe it, so they’re powering through the bad times awaiting the better times. In a way he’s in his honeymoon period, and some people like him better because he’s actually following through his policies instead of being all talk.
I am kind of surprised that so many people noticed the racism metaphor in Dot and Bubble but no-one (including Russell I’m guessing) noticed the uncomfortable AIDS allegory in the last episode, especially with the first queer actor for the Doctor… “While you were having fun around the universe, everywhere and everyone you were with were infected and now they’re going to die”