Boris Johnson “would be disastrous for the prosperity of this country” should the Conservative Party win a majority at the election, David Gauke has warned.

Gauke, who four months ago was the Tory justice secretary, has revealed he will stand as an independent candidate in his South West Hertfordshire seat.

Johnson stripped Gauke of the Conservative Party whip in September after he and 20 other Tory MPs voted to block a no-deal Brexit on October 31.

Speaking to BBC Radio 4′s Today programme this morning, Gauke said Johnson had been “boxed in” to taking the UK out of the EU without an agreement at the end of 2020.

The prime minister has said he will not extend the planned transition period beyond next year. Critics of the prime minister have said it will not be possible to sign a full trade agreement with the EU in just 12-months.

Gauke urged people to vote for “the centre ground” where possible. “I’m impressed by Jo Swinson, I think if I was living in a lot of constituencies I would lend my vote to the Liberal Democrats,” he said.

He said the way “forward” was for “a confirmatory referendum” on Johnson’s Brexit deal.

In his first major speech of the campaign, Johnson will today promise to end the “groundhoggery” of Brexit he wins a majority.

“We face a historic choice. At this election the country can either move forwards with policies that will deliver years of growth and prosperity, or it can disappear into an intellectual cul-de-sac of far left Corbynism,” he will say.

A YouGov survey for The Times suggested Johnson has opened up a 14-point poll lead over Labour after Nigel Farage’s decision to pull Brexit Party candidates from Tory-held seats.