First Minister Alex Salmond has denied offering to lobby on behalf of media mogul Rupert Murdoch.

Mr Salmond has faced pressure from political opponents after it emerged on Tuesday during James Murdoch’s evidence at the Leveson Inquiry that News Corp's director of public affairs Frederic Michel emailed James Murdoch and said: "I met with Alex Salmond's adviser today. He will call Hunt whenever we need him to."

Mr Salmond has been called to answer questions over whether he had been prepared to intervene and lobby UK Culture Secretary Jeremy Hunt on the proposed takeover of BSkyB.

Mr Salmond denied he had lobbied on behalf of the Murdoch empire, and, in an interview with STV News’ Westminster Correspondent Harry Smith, also denied he had even offered to use any influence he had in Westminster.

He said: “I offered to put forward what was best in the interests of Scotland. It is my job to do so. It is not lobbying on behalf of Rupert Murdoch or anyone else. That is putting forward what is in the Scottish interest. I often do that.”