LONDON (AP) — A former Conservative Party Cabinet minister says giving the party a majority in next month's election would be "disastrous" because it would allow Prime Minister Boris Johnson to take the U.K. out of the European Union without a deal.

David Gauke said Wednesday he would stand for re-election to the House of Commons as an independent as he seeks a majority that will block a hard Brexit and back a second referendum.

The former justice secretary told the BBC that a Conservative majority would mean leaving the EU "in effect on no-deal terms and that, I believe, would be disastrous for the prosperity of this country.'"

The comments come a week after a former Labour Party lawmaker said party leader Jeremy Corbyn was "completely unfit" to lead the country.