Mary Scanlon (born 25 May 1947, Dundee) is a Conservative politician, and Member of the Scottish Parliament for the Highlands and Islands region from 1999 to 2006 and since 2007.She contested North East Fife in the General Election of 1992 and Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber at the General Election of 1997.She resigned from her list seat to contest the 2006 Moray by-election caused by the death of Scottish National Party MSP Margaret Ewing, but was defeated in the by-election by Richard Lochhead of the SNP. During the campaign her decision to keep the word "Conservative" off her election literature caused much controversy. There were claims that there was a deliberate attempt to mislead voters in to believing she was the SNP candidate by printing leaflets in yellow and black (that party's traditional colours). She was embroilled in further controversy later the same week when it emerged that letters apparently backing her candidacy from local independent councillors had been faked. Her list seat was taken up by Dave Petrie.She has served as health spokeswoman for the Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party and on her resignation was their spokesman for Communities. In her capacity as health spokeswoman, she has called for single vaccine alternatives to the MMR vaccine,. Scanlon is currently the Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party's spokesperson for Energy, Enterprise and Tourism.She was returned to Parliament on the list vote in the 2007 election after failing to win the 2006 by-election. She was again re-elected in 2011.
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