▁Griff ith s ▁later ▁studied ▁at ▁the ▁University ▁of ▁Dur ham , ▁gain ing ▁a ▁degree ▁in ▁Russian . ▁From ▁ 1 9 7 7 ▁to ▁ 1 9 8 5 , ▁she ▁was ▁a ▁lingu ist ▁at ▁Government ▁Communic ations ▁Head quarters ▁( G CH Q ), ▁and ▁from ▁ 1 9 8 4 ▁to ▁ 1 9 9 7 ▁the ▁Asia ▁editor ▁for ▁BBC ▁Mon itor ing . ▁ ▁At ▁one ▁stage , ▁she ▁was ▁also ▁an ▁English ▁teacher . ▁ ▁Polit ics ▁Griff ith s ' ▁political ▁career ▁began ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 9 ▁when ▁she ▁was ▁elected ▁to ▁Reading ▁Bor ough ▁Council . ▁▁ ▁She ▁sat ▁on ▁the ▁Council , ▁as ▁a ▁Labour ▁member , ▁until ▁ 1 9 9 9 . ▁ ▁Prior ▁to ▁the ▁ 1 9 9 7 ▁general ▁election , ▁Griff ith s ▁was ▁selected ▁as ▁the ▁Labour ▁Pro s pective ▁Parliament ary ▁C andid ate ▁( P PC ) ▁for ▁the ▁Reading ▁East ▁constitu ency . ▁ ▁This ▁had ▁been ▁a ▁safe ▁Conserv ative ▁seat ▁since ▁its ▁creation ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 3 . ▁The ▁ret iring ▁T ory ▁inc umb ent ▁Ger ard ▁V aug han ▁had ▁a ▁majority ▁of ▁ 1 4 , 5 5 5 . ▁Despite ▁this , ▁Griff ith s ▁emer ged ▁as ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁surprise ▁w inners ▁of ▁the ▁general ▁election . ▁ ▁In ▁Parliament , ▁she ▁established ▁a ▁reputation ▁as ▁a ▁fer vent ▁pro - Europe an . ▁ ▁Andrew ▁Roth ▁of ▁The ▁Guardian