A former Conservative had help from a fellow ex-cabinet colleague when he went out campaigning to hold his seat as an independent.

Former home secretary Amber Rudd is going against the Tories gave her support to David Gauke in South West Herts today.

Ms Rudd, who resigned from the cabinet and lost the Tory whip over opposition to a no-deal Brexit in September, went out on the streets of Rickmansworth.

Mr Gauke, who was justice secretary as recently as July, is fighting to hold the seat he has held since 2005 against Conservative candidate Gagan Mohindra, a district councillor in Epping Forest, Essex.

The constituency has been won by the Tories in every election, with Mr Gauke taking 58 per cent of the vote in the 2017 ballot.

Ms Rudd, who stepped down as MP for Hastings and Rye when the election was called, told the PA news agency: "I'm a Conservative. David is a liberal Conservative. I believe in what he stands for.

"It would be great for this country if he returns as an MP."

The pair met locals in High Street, Rickmansworth, before door-knocking around the area.

Mr Gauke had previously warned that the UK will be heading for a no-deal Brexit if Boris Johnson wins an overall majority on December 12 - with "disastrous" consequences for the economy.

He suggested Conservative supporters opposed to no-deal should consider "lending" their votes to the Liberal Democrats.

Mr Gauke was approached by one woman who said she was disappointed about his decision to leave the Tories.

Val Pooley told Mr Gauke he was going against the people who voted to leave the EU.

She said: "I am sorry but I'm cross that you've switched out of Conservative because I believe, as Conservatives, we wanted out. That's what we voted for and you're going against the people's vote."

Ms Pooley, who lives in Maple Cross, said she wasn't sure who to vote for in the area now.

She added: "He's very much disappointed the electorate for switching. You can't flip-flop and expect everyone to still vote for you."

Another resident, Jasim Ahmed, was more forgiving.

He said: "I'm not disappointed at all. He's still the right person for the area."

Mr Gauke was one of 21 MPs kicked out of the party in September after they backed a plan to take control of the Commons timetable to pass legislation to block a no-deal Brexit.

He told PA he understands some voters are not pleased about his decision to run as an independent but said he had been getting positive responses from most of those he met.

"There are lots of people coming forward... these are people who feel a bit homeless and welcome the opportunity to vote independent," he said.

"The response so far has been much more positive than I expected."