By Catarina Demony and Alistair Smout

LONDON (Reuters) -Britain said it would make refugee status temporary and the wait for permanent settlement would be quadrupled to 20 years under the country's most sweeping overhaul of policy on asylum seekers in modern times.

The Labour government has been hardening its immigration policies, above all on illegal small-boat crossings from France, in efforts to stem the soaring popularity of the populist Reform UK party, which has driven the immigration agenda.

The government said it would take inspiration from Denmark's approach, one of the toughest in Europe - where growing anti-immigrant sentiment has led to increased restrictions in many countries - and widely criticised by rights groups.

TEMPORARY STATUS SUBJECT TO REVIEW

As part of the changes, the statutory duty to provide support to certain asylum seekers, including housing and weekly allowances, will be revoked, the Home Office (interior ministry) said in a statement issued late on Saturday.

The department, led by Shabana Mahmood, said the measures would apply to asylum........

© Al Monitor