The timing of the meeting will raise further questions about the close ties between senior members of the Coalition and Mr Murdoch’s media empire.
The disclosure comes as the Cabinet Office prepares to publish for the first time details of all meetings between government ministers and media executives and proprietors for the first three months of this year.
The Daily Telegraph can disclose that Mr Osborne flew to New York on a five-day visit on Dec 16 last year, to meet Mike Bloomberg, the mayor of New York, and a group of bankers.
The day after arriving, the Chancellor met Mr Murdoch, the chairman of News Corp, for a “social” dinner with a small gathering of people. The Treasury refused to discuss who attended, but insisted that BSkyB was not discussed.
At the time Ofcom, the media regulator, had until Dec 31 to decide whether to refer News Corp’s bid for the remaining 61 per cent shares in BSkyB to the Competition Commission.

Well, just because they had dinner together doesn't mean anything underhand went down... honest gov.

Seriously though, Even if nothing did happen this looks really bad. Fingers crossed Mr. Osborn has to jump before he's pushed.

George Osborne had dinner with Rupert Murdoch but didn’t swallow.

George Osborne had dinner with Rupert Murdoch but

Murdoch didn't press the concealed button which would have dropped Osborne's chair into the pool full of man eating sharks?

Jon

Now it turns out Jeremy Hunt has had several meetings with NI executives (including James Murdock and Rebecca Books) since taking over the decision on Sky's futire from Vince Cable. Oh dear, this one may run...

Jon

It does make him look like he was corrupted. I think long term this will haunt his career. What might be left of it.

Murdoch didn't press the concealed button which would have dropped Osborne's chair into the pool full of man eating sharks?

Jon

I think this makes a lot of politicians look corrupted, and the rot goes right to the top in pretty much all cases.