The seat had become vacant when the sitting Labour Member of Parliament (MP), Alice Cullen had died on 31 May 1969, aged 78.
The Conservatives chose William Shearer, a 59-year-old builder, while the Scottish National Party (SNP) ran Tom Brady, an electrical engineer aged 26.
[3] An editorial in The Glasgow Herald on the day of the by-election reflected these odds stating that "as it stands, Frank McElhone looks as certain as these things can be to take the seat for Labour."
However it predicted a tight contest for second place, arguing that the Conservative Shearer had fought a good campaign which might help him to just finish in front of the SNP.
[6] At the subsequent general election the following June the three main candidates faced off again, with McElhone greatly increasing his majority and vote share.