The seat had become vacant when the Liberal Member of Parliament William Jowitt had resigned his seat after changing his party allegiance.
Standing as a Liberal, Jowitt had won one of Preston's two seats at the general election in May 1929, having previously been Liberal MP for The Hartlepools from 1922 to 1924.
After his return to the Commons in 1929, he was offered the post of Attorney General for England and Wales in the new Labour Government.
Jowitt held the seat with an increased majority.
The Liberals did not put forward a candidate, being demoralised following Jowitt's defection, and also lacking funds to fight an election.