First Banks Ministry (Wiltshire)

First Banks Ministry
Martin Banks
Date formed	May 29, 3013
Date dissolved	November 4, 3013
People and organisations
Head of State	Kim Langley
Head of Government	Martin Banks
Member Party	Conservative Party (Wiltshire)
Status in Legislature	Minority
Opposition Party	Socialist Party
Opposition Leader	Renly Stork
History
Election(s)	May 3013 Wiltshire General Election
Legislative term(s)	7th National Assembly of Wiltshire
Budget(s)	3013 Summer Budget (2) 3013 Autumn Budget
Predecessor	Stork Ministry (Wiltshire)
Successor	Second Banks Ministry (Wiltshire)

Martin Banks formed the First Banks Ministry on May 29, 3013 following the failure of incumbent Prime Minister Renly Stork to form a government and his subsequent resignation. The First Banks Ministry, being a minority Conservative administration, was a relatively short lived one and only existed until the November 3013 Wiltshire General Election - where Banks secured an overall majority of the Conservative Party.

This government was not a coalition and did not have any formal agreements or arrangements with other parties. The Liberal Alliance were not in a position to continue to prop-up Renly Stork due to divisions within the party and Stork's fallen support in the Assembly.

History and formation

Martin Banks served as Chancellor of the Exchequer under both Prime Minister Jaresh Inyo and Edward Jellico. Banks was a longtime supporter of the Conservative Party and right hand man to Jellico himself. However, Banks was significantly more pragmatic and charismatic. He was able to convince large groups of people to his point of view by the manner in which he spoke. This gave him a great advantage when Jellico resigned as Party Leader following his government's defeat in the 3013 vote of no confidence in the Jellico Ministry.

Banks was unopposed in his election as Conservative Leader and went onto defeat Stork in the next election. The campaign slogan "You voted Conservative but were given a Socialist" did a good job at highlighting the undemocratic nature of Stork's succession to the premiership.

Following the election, the Conservatives were 2 seats short of a majority. The Socialists could have, in theory, continued in government with the support of the Liberal Alliance Party. However, the Liberal Alliance was split on the issue of whether or not to support Stork. Many did not wish to and even more were unhappy with the way in which Stork handled diplomatic relations with non-Socialist states across Doggerland.

The Liberals did not support Banks. However, they did not support Stork either. Banks, due to having the largest amount of support, was able to form a minority government. That government was ineffective and did little. However, Banks' character and charm was able to win the government a majority in the next election.

Cabinet

Portfolio	Minister	Party	Term
Prime Minister Minister for the Civil Service Leader of the Assembly	Martin Banks AM	Conservative	May 3013 until November 3013
Chancellor of the Exchequer Minister for Finance	Lucy Burgers AM	Conservative	May 3013 until November 3013
Minister for Defence	David Spurd AM	Conservative	May 3013 until November 3013
Minister for Foreign Affairs	Ludwig Kohl AM	Conservative	May 3013 until November 3013
Minister for Trade and International Development	Joel McCair AM	Conservative	May 3013 until November 3013
Minister for the Home Office Minister for Internal Affairs	Peter Hay AM	Conservative	May 3013 until November 3013
Minister for Utilities*	Pete Aventine AM	Conservative	May 3013 until November 3013
Minister for Work and Pensions	Eve Patterson AM	Conservative	May 3013 until November 3013
Chief Secretary to the Treasury	Andrea Drum AM	Conservative	May 3013 until November 3013
Chancellor of the Authority of Juneville	Gerald McMorrin AM	Conservative	May 3013 until November 3013
Minister for the Walkerton Office	Angela Malone AM	Conservative	May 3013 until November 3013
Minister for the Washington Office	Karen Finch AM	Conservative	May 3013 until November 3013
Attorney General	Rod Store	Independent	May 3013 until November 3013

*The Minister for Utilities was an unofficial title used by Pete Avantine and Frank Eddington. These ministers held the ministerial positions of Minister for Food, Minister for Health, Minister for Housing and Minister for Education concurrently. This continued until the premiership of Frank Eddington when he separated the ministries once again.