The Labour Party hoped to hold the seat, and narrowed its choice of possible candidates to two: Stan Awbery, an activist in the Transport and General Workers' Union, based in Wales, and John William Gordon, an Irish-born Catholic who was chief accountant of the National Union of Railwaymen.
The Labour Party aimed to retain the seat, and limited its selection of potential candidates to two: Stan Awbery, an activist in the Transport and General Workers' Union based in Wales, and John William Gordon, an Irish-born Catholic who served as chief accountant of the National Union of Railwaymen.