Background
Banks was born in Acomb, Northumberland and educated at the Lornshill Academy in Alloa and then the Glasgow College of Building.
Banks was born in Acomb, Northumberland and educated at the Lornshill Academy in Alloa and then the Glasgow College of Building.
University of Stirling.
He later obtained a degree in History and Politics from the University of Stirling. He has worked in the construction industry for 31 years, and formed his own building supplies business in 1986. Banks was elected at the 2005 general election, succeeding fellow Labour politician Martin O"Neill.
In May 2006 he became a Parliamentary Private Secretary to James Purnell, and subsequently left the Scottish and Northern Ireland committees.
In October 2010 he was appointed as one of the Shadow Ministers of the Department of Business, Innovation and Skills. He resigned in April 2011 in order to concentrate on his constituency.
He was defeated by the Scottish National Party"s Tasmina Ahmed-Sheikh in the General Election of May 2015.
54th United Kingdom Parliament. 55th United Kingdom Parliament]
Shortly after his election he became a member of the Regulatory Reform Committee, the Unopposed Bills (Panel) Committee, the Scottish Affairs Committee and the Northern Ireland Affairs Select Committee.