The by-election was held due to the death of the incumbent Conservative MP, Archibald Boyd-Carpenter.

He played hockey for Oxford University and rugby union for a leading London club.

[2] There were growing moves for a Popular Front, where parties of the left came together to oppose fascism and Nazi appeasement.

In Chertsey, a local Popular Front was formed, which hoped to see the Liberal and Labour parties support a progressive candidate.

[4] At first, a three-cornered contest had been expected between the Conservative candidate, the retired naval officer Arthur Marsden, Haylor and Mr F. J. Tompsett, a City rubber broker, who was to have stood as an Independent and anti-Communist.