Jane Mulkerrins www.telegraph.co.uk

More than half of all Britons would leave the country in search of a better life abroad, a new poll has shown.

Fifty-two per cent said they would consider emigrating and seven per cent hope to relocate to another country in the near future.

A quarter of those who would leave said it was because they "did not like what Britain has become".

Soaring crime, house prices, long working hours and miserable weather were all reasons to leave. Others pointed to a lack of jobs in some regions and an enviable lifestyle enjoyed elsewhere.

Unsurprisingly, the most desirable destinations were those with far warmer weather than Britain. Most popular was Australia, followed by Spain, America, New Zealand, Canada, France, Italy and the Caribbean.

The ICM survey of more than 1,000 people was carried out on behalf of the BBC2 show Get A New Life, which follows families as they relocate abroad.