Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has announced that Jay Weatherill will be Australia's next high commissioner to the United Kingdom.

Mr Albanese said the "proud South Australian" was "well placed to take forward AUKUS in the nation's interest".

So, who is Jay Weatherill?

Sixteen years in politics

Jay Weatherill is a household name among most South Australians, with a 16-year political career in state parliament as the member for Cheltenham, part of Labor's heartland in Adelaide's portside suburbs.

The left-faction MP was minister for the environment and education before making his bid for the top job — an unlikely candidate given the right faction's dominance of the SA Labor Party.

In October 2011, Mr Weatherill was formally endorsed by the Labor caucus as its new leader.

He replace

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