Rupert Murdoch has denied claims made by Alastair Campbell that he attempted to influence Tony Blair over the invasion of Iraq.

In extracts from Campbell's latest diaries, the former Downing Street communications director writes that Murdoch made several calls to the Prime Minister stating his support for military action.

In The Burden of Power: Countdown to Iraq, Mr Campbell stated that on 11 March 2003, Mr Blair "took a call from Murdoch who was pressing on timings, saying how News International would support us, etc".

In the diaries, Mr Campbell added: "Both TB [Tony Blair] and I felt it was prompted by Washington, and another example of their over-crude diplomacy. Murdoch was pushing all the Republican buttons, how the longer we waited the harder it got."

News Corporation has dismissed the entries made by Campbell, saying "there isn't even any evidence in Alastair Campbell's diaries to support such a ridiculous claim".

The diaries directly contradict Murdoch's evidence at the Leveson Inquiry, and the News International boss took to Twitter himself to say "I stand by what I said at Leveson".