UUP assembly member Robbie Butler last night said his party was interested in "engagement and dialogue" as he defended his attendance at an anti-protocol rally in Co Down.
The UUP deputy leader said "it was important for me to be there in that room" after he faced criticism from Alliance and the SDLP for attending the event in Dromore, organised by the Orange Order.
DUP leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson, TUV leader Jim Allister, Baroness Kate Hoey and former MEP Ben Habib were also at the rally on Thursday.
Mr Butler, an MLA for Lagan Valley, said the UUP "differs from other unionist parties" who were represented on the panel.
"It was important for me to be there in that room last night, in order to outline that while our party agrees on the negative aspects of the protocol, around trade, divergence from the UK and a number of other incredibly fundamental issues, our strategy to deal with it differs from the other parties,” he told the Belfast Telegraph.
"That is why I needed to be there.
"There were around 200 people in that room last night. That was a range of people who spoke from a range of sectors. Men, women, young people, all of them speaking about their education and future.
"Important things that matter to them."
He added: "They wanted the opportunity to engage with their elected reps about what they think of the protocol.
"The key thing for me was to demonstrate that we believe this is a political problem and there needs to be a political solution. Dialogue works and it is the way to deliver the change that is required."
