DAVID Gauke, the former Tory Cabinet minister, has urged voters to consider “lending” their voters to the Liberal Democrats as he warned that a Conservative majority at the General Election would result in a "disastrous" no-deal Brexit.
Mr Gauke, who had the Tory whip withdrawn by Boris Johnson after rebelling over Brexit, confirmed he would now be standing as an independent in South West Hertfordshire; the seat he has held since 2005.
By making his comments, the former Conservative frontbencher might be hoping the Lib Dems will withdraw their candidate in the seat as they have done in the Beaconsfield constituency of fellow Remainer Dominic Grieve.
Mr Gauke said he feared if Mr Johnson was returned with an overall majority, it would lead to Britain leaving the EU at the end of the transition period at the end of 2020 on World Trade Organisation[WTO] terms.
"A Conservative majority after the next General Election will take us in the direction of a very hard Brexit," he declared.
"In all likelihood at the end of 2020 we will leave the implementation period without a deal with the EU, on WTO terms, in effect on no-deal terms, that would be disastrous for the prosperity of this country; whole sectors would become unviable."
Mr Gauke said that even if Mr Johnson wanted to extend the transition period to allow more time to negotiate a new free trade deal with the EU, he would be unable to do so.
“In reality, the Prime Minister is so boxed in that the Conservative Party would not allow him to extend the implementation period even if he wanted to and he shows no signs of wanting to do so."
Mr Gauke stressed that he did not identify as a Lib Dem but suggested that Tory supporters could consider voting for them in some parts of the country.
"I'm impressed by Jo Swinson. If I was living in a lot of constituencies I would lend my vote to the Liberal Democrats," he said.
The former Tory minister’s intervention came as Mr Johnson was preparing to deliver a campaign speech appealing to voters to deliver a Conservative government so they can finally get Brexit done.
"If we can get a working majority we can get Parliament working for you, we can get out of the rut. We can end the groundhoggery of Brexit," he will say.
Senior Cabinet minister Michael Gove dismissed Mr Gauke's warnings, insisting the Prime Minister was committed to negotiating a new trade agreement with the EU.
"It's a hypothesis which has been put by people who have consistently...sought to raise bogies and to make people's flesh creep," the Scot told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme.
The Cabinet Office Minister, who is in charge of the Government's no-deal preparations, said a working majority for the Conservatives in the new parliament was the only way to end the "paralysis" over Brexit.
"Everyone knows that the Prime Minister wants a deal and the Government is determined to secure one," he declared.
The row comes as a Lib Dem candidate announced he was standing down in a key marginal seat to avoid splitting the Remain vote.
Tim Walker was due to contest Labour-held Canterbury but said he had asked his local party to withdraw his nomination papers as he wanted "no part" in allowing a Tory Brexiteer to win the seat.
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