Chief minister denies tenancy reform 'rebellion'
EPAJersey's chief minister has denied his ministers are rebelling over proposed tenancy reforms.
However, Deputy Lyndon Farnham admitted that eight or nine ministers and assistant ministers were expected to vote against the plans being brought forward by the housing minister on Wednesday.
Housing Minister Sam Mezec's proposed changes to the rental tenancy law would see new protections for tenants and landlords, including rent increases being capped at 5%.
Bringing in new rental tenancies laws was part of the government's common strategic policy which sets out its main priorities.
Deputy Jonathan Renouf referred to comments made by the chief minister in April, in which Farnham said the majority of ministers would support Deputy Mezec's plans with only one or two exceptions.
Deputy Renouf asked the chief minister if "he was still confident that only one or two ministers would vote against the plan and if not how big a rebellion is he expecting from his own ministers".
The chief minister responded: "I'm not expecting a rebellion because we are more grown up around this Council of Ministers table.
"We have processes and procedures for dealing with bona fide disagreements where views are strongly held between ministers and it's called an agreement to differ."
He admitted the situation "had evolved" since his previous comments were made.
"But there is not a rebellion. It's a very grown-up, mature way of how we do business around the Council of Ministers table."
When asked what the rebellion would suggest about the chief minister's ability to lead, he said: "It says we are an extremely pragmatic Council of Ministers.
"In this small island, that's the right way to go about things."
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