Mr Swarbrick explained an election would be “very problematic for the Conservative Party” because Boris Johnson needs a transition period to implement the alternative arrangements of his Brexit deal. He added arrangements regarding the Irish border will not be put in place within three years. His comments come as Mr Johnson is reportedly “close to a deal” as European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker said that “Brexit will happen” and that the UK “can get a deal”.

Speaking to LBC, Mr Swarbrick said: “Boris Johnson needs a deal because no deal won’t get through.

“There will be an election before then and an election before Brexit happens is very problematic for the Conservative Party.

“He needs a transition period because in order to bring in the alternative arrangements, he needs at least 18-24 months to implement what has been put forward by the Alternative Arrangements Commission.

“The EU are going to say ‘What happens if at the end of that transition agreement, there aren’t those alternative arrangements in place which guarantees the border in Northern Ireland?’

“The answer to that is don’t know at this stage, but whatever that is will be in effect what the backstop was – just not called the backstop.

“That feels to me like where we’re going to end up. We’re going to have to have a transition period.

“I can’t see how the arrangements can be in place by the end of 2020, as Boris Johnson has suggested.

“Even the Alternative Arrangements Commission’s own report said it would take possibly three years for those things to be in place.”

Mr Swarbrick’s comments come as a new poll found Mr Johnson would successfully pass a Brexit deal through parliament on the deadline of October 17.

A poll by Cicero says the Prime Minister would receive 330 votes in favour of a deal and 305 against.

The poll claimed 17 Labour MPs would support the deal and all the Tories except eight would agree to it.

But Tory MP Mark Francois said he wouldn’t back a deal that resembles Theresa May’s withdrawal agreement.

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The Brexiteer said he would vote against the deal if so despite wanting the UK to leave on October 31.

He said if the UK doesn’t leave by Halloween the country will turn “ugly”.

Mr Francois told ITV Peston: “I think we must leave by October 31 otherwise the country will get pretty ugly.

“We must Leave, I’d rather leave with a deal if we can but if it’s essentially the same as the original withdrawal agreement, I don’t think it will pass in the House of Commons.”

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