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Is Murdoch dissing Trump and supporting a socialist?

Rupert Murdoch, executive chairman of News Corporation.
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The cliché is that you get more conservative the older you get – but is billionaire media tycoon Rupert Murdoch proving an exception to the rule?

The News Corp founder raised eyebrows in the U.K. Thursday morning when he sent the following tweet about Jeremy Corbyn, the rogue left-wing MP who is a surprise front-runner for leader of the U.K.'s main opposition party, the Labour Party.

Tweet: Corbyn increasingly likely Labor winner. Seems only candidate who believes anything, right or wrong.

This makes an interesting contrast to his apparentknuckle-rap for friend Donald Trump on August 8,after Trump made controversial comments about questioning by Fox News anchorMegyn Kelly during his appearance as one of the Republican candidates forPresident in a Fox News-curated debate.

Tweet: Baier, Kelly, Wallace great job Thursday.Fine journalism, no more, no less. Friend Donald has to learn this is public life.

And when Trump made his notorious remarks about Mexican immigrants:

Tweet: When is Donald Trump going to stop embarrassing his friends, let alone the whole country?

The Corbyn tweet came as a surprise given that Murdoch's own publications in the U.K. haven't exactly been flying the Corbyn flag. And because the Labour firebrand's pro-union, pro-redistribution of wealth views don't seem in tune with Murdoch's own reputation as a union-breaker, many were surprised.

Proud to call myself a socialist: Corbyn
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Proud to call myself a socialist: Corbyn

However, the tycoon has a habit of backing the winning team, and his media outlets in the U.K. will have to try and gain access to Corbyn and his leadership team if, as looks increasingly likely, he is leader of the Opposition.


‘People’s QE?’ Left-wing leader’s plans for the UK

His tweet isn't an endorsement of Corbyn's left-wing views, either – just an acknowledgement of the MP's sincerity, a quality for which he is renowned.

- By CNBC's Catherine Boyle