They selected John Tilley, the leader of Wandsworth Borough Council who had unsuccessfully contested Kensington in the 1974 elections.
Labour's weak position gave the Conservative Party hope that it might gain the seat in a surprise victory.
Meanwhile, several far left groups organised in the area stood in the hope of combating the National Front and raising their own profiles.
Tilley held the constituency until its abolition in 1983, but proved unable to win a new seat at that year's election; he contested Southwark and Bermondsey but was defeated by its Liberal MP, Simon Hughes.
The National Front suffered several splits and declined in importance, never again beating a major party candidate at a by-election.