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AN online fund has been launched to help cover the cost of Labour's registered supporters fee for would-be leadership voters.

It has been announced that Labour members who have been signed up for less than six months will not be eligible to vote in the leadership election if they joined after January 12 this year.

The decision made at Labour's National Executive Committee on Tuesday means more than 100,000 people who have joined the party since then will not be sent ballot papers.

(Image: Getty)

But there will be a two-day window next week in which people can secure a vote by signing up as registered supporters for a £25 fee.

Since the announcement, Corbyn supporter Lauren Ashby has created a crowdfunding page in a bid to raise £5,000 to help cover the cost for those who wish to have their say.

On the page she said: "At a time when British people are once again reinvigorated by politics and political change, and clamouring to take an active part in their party of choice, they are being denied this chance.

"Jeremy Corbyn has inspired unprecedented growth in the Labour Party membership, and those new members, and those who wish to vote in the leadership contest, should not be denied a chance to vote.

"The figure of £25 is a discriminatory price that will clearly exclude a great many from being able to take part in this vote."

She also states that, while she is a Corbyn supporter, help from the fund "does not oblige" a vote for him - so far more than £900 has been pledged to the cause.

(Image: Gareth Fuller/PA Wire)

During the leadership election last year, in which Mr Corbyn secured 59.5% of the vote in the first round of the contest after a surge in support from registered supporters, the one-off payment was set at £3.

Ms Ashby described the new fee as "significantly higher".

A Labour Party spokeswoman said it was an NEC decision to agree that voters had to be members for over six months to vote and that the registered supporters fee would be £25.

It is understood that those wishing to negate the supporters fee are now considering exploiting other avenues as they look to secure their vote.

Scientists for Labour posted a notice on their website saying there was a "temporary suspension of membership applications" after a "massive spike".

"It's come to our attention that this may not be because science policy has become a priority for the nation but perhaps more to do with people trying to sidestep the Labour NEC decision," it added.

"Scientists for Labour is a science policy group. We are not a means for non-Labour members to hijack the Labour leadership election."

Membership of the Unite union, which begins at as little as 50p per week for those out of work, will also entitle those to a vote in the leadership race if they register before August 8.

Those from the LGBT community can also vote by becoming members for just £15 a year and individuals from the black, Asian or ethnic minorities would be eligible by joining BAME Labour for a £5 two-year membership.