However, Phillips' active business interests (he was a Director of several South African companies including the Central Mining and Investment Corporation Ltd and the Village Main Reef Gold Mining Company Ltd) left him no time to nurse the constituency and in August 1905 he gave up the candidature. Initially, the Conservatives invited John Aird, son of the sitting MP, to contest the seat, but as Aird had already been selected for Southampton, he declined. Finally, the Conservatives selected Arthur Strauss, a metal merchant and former MP for Camborne, although a minority group at the adoption meeting preferred Herbert Jessel, 1st Baron Jessel: Strauss prevailed by 70 votes to 28.