Philip Hammond, the chancellor, says that the government does not envisage any further divergence in regulations between Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK and that there would be “strong resistance” to such a move AKMENTOLGA AKMEN/GETTY IMAGES

Philip Hammond has played down the chance of Northern Ireland adopting different rules from the rest of the UK after Brexit.

The chancellor, on a visit to Belfast, stressed that the prospect of any further regulatory divergence between the province and the mainland was unlikely.

His comments come amid signs that Brussels is pushing for an agreement over the “backstop”, the insurance policy to ensure that no hard border develops between the UK and Republic of Ireland that could mean different regulatory rules being applied in each country.

Mr Hammond was asked whether the government would be prepared to countenance any new regulatory divergence between Northern Ireland and Great Britain as a way of resolving the impasse over the Irish border.

While the government has…