Anas Sarwar has been sacked as Scottish Labour's shadow health spokesman.

Richard Leonard, who defeated Sarwar to become party leader last November, began a reshuffle of his top team on Thursday by dropping his former leadership rival.

He also removed Jackie Baillie as spokeswoman for the economy, jobs and fair work in a further shake-up.

In a statement, Sarwar said he had learned of his removal as health spokesman via Twitter, which he described as "a shame".

Meanwhile, former deputy leader Alex Rowley, who stepped down from the role and was briefly suspended from the party due to harassment claims last year, rejoins Scottish Labour's top team in the communities and local government brief.

Rowley denies the allegations and the case against him was dropped by the party's disciplinary panel.

The reshuffle comes amid internal strife in Scottish Labour after the UK party stopped funding the legal bill for Kezia Dugdale's court battle against pro-independence blogger Wings Over Scotland.

And earlier on Thursday, Scottish Labour's communications chief Charlie Mann resigned from his post after less than six months in the job.

Leonard said the changes to his front bench represented a "refreshed shadow cabinet" and insisted the party "had to do better" to persuade voters.

The Scottish Labour leader said: "I thank the outgoing Shadow Cabinet for their contribution.

"The refreshed shadow cabinet will take Scottish Labour into the central debate in Scottish politics: the clear choice between Labour's plan to invest and build an economy that works for the many, not the few, or further austerity with the SNP and the Tories."

He continued: "My new shadow cabinet is a blend of skills and experience whose aim is to turn around Scottish Labour's electoral successes.

"Our task is more pressing than ever: last week it was revealed that in Scotland today life expectancy is going down; poverty and inequality remain stubbornly high; homelessness is rising; rough sleeping is back and too many children's life chances are mapped out before they even start primary school due to a simple accident of birth.

"Meanwhile in-work poverty is rife and pensioner poverty persists. The Tories have implanted a savage austerity agenda and their handling of Brexit is a shambles.

"Labour support is recovering in Scotland - we have increased our support from where we were just a couple of years ago.

"But we understand much more needs to be done; we have to do better in convincing people of our message."

Responding to his sacking, Sarwar said: "I'm deeply disappointed to no longer be Scottish Labour's shadow cabinet secretary for health.

"It's a shame that I came to know about this decision through Twitter, while I was leading for Labour in a health debate in the Holyrood chamber."

In a brief statement, Baillie said: "I am grateful to have had the opportunity to serve and will continue to be a strong advocate for my constituents - and Labour values. I wish Richard Leonard well for the future."