Scott Benton is an arse but the stats do not lie - 2/3 of the electorate were so enthused by the election and desperate to clean up politics that they stayed at home.
Dreadful 32.5% turnout in Blackpool South by election. Conservative vote unsurprisingly collapses. Labour vote down by 1700. Lib Dem vote down by 600. Reform vote up by 1000 if compared to Brexit Party. Apathy wins again.