This was the first time the Liberals had contested the City since the January 1910 election.

The Liberals had not contested any Parliamentary election in Chester-le-Street since the 1929 general election.

However, the Liberals had not contested the seat in 1951 and in 1950, their candidate finished a poor third.

The Liberals did not contest the Heffron by-election.

The Liberals did not contest the seat in December 1910 when the Conservative candidate was elected unopposed.

The Liberals contested five seats, two more than in 1973.

Prior to the 1970s the Ulster Unionists were effectively the local Conservatives, whilst the Liberals contested some but not all seats.

The Conservatives and Liberals therefore did not contest the by-election.

The Liberals, who had polled only 12% of the vote in 1945, did not contest the election.

The Liberals and the Democrats, who contested the previous election and gained 36.62 percent and 12.32 percent respectively, did not contest the by-election.