Refugees will have to live in the UK for 20 years before they can be settle permanently, as part of a sweeping overhaul of the asylum system.

The plans are part of Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood’s most significant shake-up in Britain’s approach to migrants in modern times.

The Labour government of Keir Starmer has been inspired by the hard-line approach of Denmark, whose government is led by Mette Frederiksen, a fellow centre-left politician.

The status of refugees in the UK will be now become temporary and subject to regular review. They will be removed as soon as their home countries are deemed safe, with the wait for permanent settlement quadrupled to 20 years.

The Home Office also said that protection for refugees would "now be temporary, regularly reviewed and revoked" if their home country was deemed safe.

"Our system is particularly generous compared to other countries in Europe, where, after five years, you're effectively automatically settled in this country. We will change that," said Ms Mahmood.

A woman protesting outside a hotel housing asylum seekers. Reuters

She added that under the changes, a refugee's status would be reviewed every two-and-a-half years, during "a much longer path to permanent settlement in this country of 20 years".

Ms Mahmood said she would provide further details of the changes on Monday, including an announcement on Article 8 of the European Convention of Human Rights.

The government has said it wants to stay in the ECHR but change how the Article 8 provision, covering the right to a family life, is interpreted.

Other measures announced by the Home Office include a ban on visas from three African countries, Angola, Namibia and the Democratic Republic of Congo, if they do not co-operate more on the removal of illegal migrants.

Ms Mahmood is reported to be considering requiring some asy