Michelle Lorraine Ballantyne (née Cross; born 28 November 1962) is a British property developer, former politician and former nurse who served as Leader of Reform UK Scotland from January 2021 to February 2022.

After graduating with an honours degree from Heriot-Watt University, she managed an acute medicine department in Edinburgh and took a position at a charity supporting people struggling with drugs and alcohol.

The professional code of conduct for nursing requires registrants to act in a non discriminatory way and uphold public faith in the profession.

During this period, she continued to work as a nurse within social care, while also completing an Honours degree as a mature student at Heriot-Watt University in Galashiels.

Ballantyne took a position in 2005 as head of an independent local charity providing specialist drug and alcohol support to children, families and offenders.

[5] She contested the Midlothian South, Tweeddale and Lauderdale constituency at the 2016 Scottish Parliament election but finished second place behind Christine Grahame.

[8] She replaced Rachael Hamilton, who had resigned her seat to contest the 2017 Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire by-election held on 8 June.

[5] She defended the UK government's two child cap on tax credits in October of that year, claiming it had been fairer to working people having to make decisions about the number of children to have.

Chairman Richard Tice added the party would stand at the 2021 Scottish Parliament election on a platform of devolving powers to local government.

[25] In February, she reiterated her criticisms of lockdowns and wrote a column for The Scotsman arguing the damage to the mental health of children and young people had been disproportionate to the benefits of controlling coronavirus.

[2][3] She was suspended from and then quit her membership of Reform UK in January 2025 after it was revealed she was the administrator of a Facebook page that featured racist and far-right posts.