It was one of two UK parliamentary by-elections held on that day, and was won by the Labour Party candidate John Home Robertson.

The seat had become vacant when the Labour Member of Parliament (MP), John Mackintosh had died at the age of 48 on 30 July 1978.

[2] The Labour candidate was 29-year-old John Home Robertson, a farmer who had been a member of Berwickshire District Council since 1974.

John Home Robertson talked of making the seat safe for Labour, but others in the party were described as being 'wary of their chances'.

Robertson held the seat until its abolition for the 1983 general election, when he was returned for the new East Lothian constituency.