UUP leader Doug Beattie: ‘Anger is not necessary in opposing the Northern Ireland Protocol’

Mr Beattie also accused some unionists involved in protests against the Protocol of not providing an alternative to the post-Brexit trade deal and engaging in “empty slogans”.

He has faced criticism over his decision to withdraw his party from the Province-wide anti-Protocol demonstrations, alleging that the rallies are being used to heighten tensions across the community.

In an address to the Northern Ireland Chamber of Commerce on Friday, the UUP leader called for changes in economic and fiscal policies to transform the Province from its status as the “begging bowl of the UK”.

He told business leaders at the conference: “Nobody needs to get angry over this (the Protocol). Nobody needs to get angry because we can play a positive role in engaging with people in a sensible, clear manner so they understand the problems we face.”

On the anti-Protocol campaign, he continued: “What we’ve got now, with an election coming up, is a Protocol slogan with nothing - a Protocol slogan to whip up a vote...Bin the Protocol, full stop. End the Protocol, full stop. Get rid of the Protocol, full stop.

“There’s nothing after the full stop. It’s just somebody standing there to get applause, to get a clap, to get a cheer by saying, ‘End, bin, get rid of’, but they don’t give a way how and what we’re going to do.”

“There has to be something. So we do engage and we engage positively, but there are issues and we have to deal with those issues, whether we like it or not.”

Mr Beattie declined to confirm whether the UUP would take up the post of Deputy First Minister if there is a Sinn Fein First Minister.

He also said Northern Ireland had to stop being “the begging bowl of the UK” and ultimately become “fiscally responsible.”

“We need to be wealth generators to make this a truly working part of this United Kingdom,” the UUP leader added.