Has Rishi been told to tone down his brand? Chancellor takes his signature OFF slick social media graphics announcing furlough extension - replacing it with Tory logo

• Rishi Sunak has been producing slick branded images promoting Covid policies 
• Chancellor's latest posts had his signature removed and Tory logo added on
• Allies insist it is a 'design thing' and he has not been pressured to tone it down 

Rishi Sunak has removed his signature from social media posts promoting Treasury policies - sparking speculation he has been pressured to tone down his 'branding'.

The Chancellor has become known for producing slick images to accompany free-spending announcements on the coronavirus response.

The glossy PR has led to claims that he is positioning to become PM after Boris Johnson, although Mr Sunak himself insists he does not want the job. 

But posts yesterday highlighting the dramatic furlough extension until the end of March were notably different from his previous output.

Instead of Mr Sunak's signature, there was a Conservative Party logo with his name typed underneath.

Allies laughed off the change, insisting it was a 'design thing' and his team wanted to include the party symbol 'without having too many squiggles in there'. 'I wouldn't over-think it,' one ally said.  

However, the adjustment comes after armed forces minister Johnny Mercer suggested in a WhatsApp group over the summer that the Eat Out to Help Out branding was excessive.

'Is it possible to have these graphics with a Conservative Party logo on, instead of Rishi's signature?' he wrote.

Labour has also mocked the tactic of putting Mr Sunak's signature and face on many of his social media announcements. 

Sir Keir Starmer launched a direct attack on him this week for blocking lockdown for weeks, in a hint he believes the Chancellor could end up his main political rival at some point. 

Mr Sunak said last month that he is merely trying 'lots of different ways to communicate with people'. 

He also suggested the glitzy approach to his PR and prominence of his name in announcements was necessary because 'most people probably didn't know who I was before I had this job'. 

Mr Sunak has also insisted he does not want to become PM. 'I think the job I have is hard enough and I see up close what the Prime Minister has to deal with everyday,' he said.