Attending Cedars Grammar School in Leighton Buzzard, Griffiths later studied at the University of Durham, gaining a degree in Russian.
[3] Prior to the 1997 general election, Griffiths was selected as the Labour Prospective Parliamentary Candidate (PPC) for the Reading East constituency.
[1][6] Griffiths acquired a reputation for being somewhat confrontational, voicing disagreement with Speaker Betty Boothroyd.
[7] The ensuing tensions culminated in Griffiths' deselection as the candidate for the 2005 general election, a first for any MP in ten years.
[9] She vowed not to stand as an independent, and the seat was contested by local Labour councillor Tony Page who lost by a very narrow margin, with Griffiths being succeeded by Conservative Rob Wilson in 2005.
[10] Four days after the 2005 general election Griffiths was declared bankrupt, owing £29,000 to the Inland Revenue.
She failed to appear at her bankruptcy hearing before Reading County Court on Monday 19 September 2005 and a warrant was subsequently issued for her arrest.
[11][12][13] During 2005-6 Griffiths wrote a political blog, called 'janestheone' after her election slogan in earlier days.