LNP falls ‘agonisingly short’ in Stafford byelection as Labor suffers swing against it

Queensland Labor leader Steven Miles at a polling booth in Brisbane. The opposition leader says he still has caucus support despite the close Stafford byelection. Photograph: Russell Freeman/AAP

Queensland’s opposition leader, Steven Miles, says he has caucus support to remain Labor leader “right now”, after the party suffered a swing against it at a byelection in the north of Brisbane.

Labor is expected to retain the northern Brisbane seat of Stafford but recorded an 8% swing against it on primary votes. The ALP candidate, Luke Richmond, was ahead of the Liberal National party candidate, Fiona Hammond, by about 700 votes on Sunday afternoon.