Rupert Murdoch tweets approval of Alex Salmond

Media mogul Rupert Murdoch has reaffirmed his support for First Minister Alex Salmond on his new Twitter page.

It has been confirmed that a Twitter account under the name @rupertmurdoch does belong to the chief of the News Corporation media conglomerate and not an impostor, after someone using the name started tweeting over the New Year holiday.

A spokeswoman at his News International company has confirmed the account is genuine.

Last night, Murdoch told his followers he was pleased that the SNP leader had been named Briton of the Year by The Times - one of the newspapers in his organisation.

He wrote: “Great to see alexsalmond Briton of the year. Fellow antiestablishmentarian’s Econmist piece equal very good and bs!”

Murdoch’s media empire gave its backing to Salmond in the lead-up to last year’s Holyrood election when the Scottish Sun newspaper proclaimed its support for the Nationalist leader.

Murdoch also said on Twitter that his resolutions for 2012 are to “try to maintain humility” and go on a diet.

The 80-year-old added that he wants to stay curious. He also sounds bored with his holiday, saying: “Back to work tomorrow. Enough idling!”

Murdoch may face questioning in the UK later this year from the Leveson Inquiry, which is investigating media ethics in the wake of the phone hacking scandal that saw the News of the World shut down.