I’d say it’s down to the success of the vaccine roll out (regardless of the brains behind it) added to the easing of lockdown,
plus equally or maybe even more so, the lack of a forceful and inspiring opposition.
As for current news, I doubt that too many people honestly give a monkey’s about who paid for fancy wallpaper etc., as long as it wasn’t the taxpayer - in the great scheme of things the money is a mere fleabite.