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Labour's leadership website crashed tonight just minutes after opening a 48-hour window for non-members to register for a vote.

The site creaked under the strain as thousands of people tried to sign up as 'registered supporters' in the history-making challenge to Jeremy Corbyn .

Among them are thought to be some of the 129,000 people who joined Labour since the EU referendum .

Despite the surge, which has almost tripled party membership, only people who joined the party or a union before January 12 can vote in a bid to stop 'entryists'.

But anyone can still sign up if they pay £25 before 5pm on Wednesday.

They must visit Labour's website and agree to be 'registered supporters' between 5pm today and 5pm on Wednesday.

Despite criticising the fee, Mr Corbyn has urged supporters to sign up in a campaign which could swing the election - as have his rivals.

Campaign group Saving Labour, linked to donor Reg Race, has told anti-Corbyn activists they have just '48 hours to save the Labour party '.

An e-mail to supporters tonight said: "The Party is in a chaos created by the present leadership. It is divisive, incompetent and far from the traditional Labour Party we know, support and respect.

(Image: Paul Hackett/Reuters)

"We can fix it but Jeremy Corbyn must go for us to achieve our potential. We can make it happen, together."

Pro-Corbyn campaign group Momentum also urged supporters to sign up for a vote, writing: "This leadership election isn’t about Jeremy Corbyn . It’s about all of us.

"It’s about the future of our Labour Party and the future of our country. This is why we must act fast."

Mr Corbyn joined challengers Angela Eagle and Owen Smith at a hustings before Labour MPs at lunchtime today.

MPs are currently dishing out nominations in a process that will end on Wednesday at 7pm, two hours after the window for registered supporters.

(Image: Handout)

Mr Corbyn is expected to receive few nominations and is on the ballot automatically.

But all eyes will be on Ms Eagle and Mr Smith amid suggestions the candidate with the fewest nominations from MPs could drop out.

Mr Smith appeared to suggest the policy yesterday saying the pair could come to a deal to find a "unity candidate". But Ms Eagle refused to say she would step aside.

A Labour spokesman said: “The registered supporter web page on the Labour Party website is up and running. People are able to register and are currently doing so in high numbers.

"The web page initially experienced high levels of traffic at 5pm when the page went live.

"There is a queuing system in operation so anyone who has not yet been able to, are encouraged to continue to try again before 5pm on Wednesday 20th July 2016."