Prime minister of Papua New Guinea threatens to kill rival politician (A bit of history)

Sir Michael Somare, the Prime Minister of Papua New Guinea, has threatened to kill an opposition MP in a day of high drama in the country's parliament.

Proceedings descended into chaos after the opposition tried to move a vote of no confidence in Sir Michael.

Despite the opposition having an obvious majority, the speaker ignored their calls for a formal vote, and announced he was adjourning parliament until November.

The decision prompted an outcry from the opposition benches, who accused Sir Michael, 74, of being "a dictator".

Clearly enraged, Sir Michael crossed the chamber, pointed his finger at the opposition MP, Sam Basil, and shouted in pidgin: "I am going to kill you outside."

The Prime Minister had to be calmed down by his son Arthur Somare.

Later a spokesman for the Prime Minister denied that he threatened to kill anyone, saying that his exact words were "you're dead meat".

Sir Michael, who has been prime minister for 16 of Papua New Guinea's 35 years of independence, is facing a direct challenge for the country's leadership from his former deputy Puka Temu and has recently seen his support fall to about 60 of the 86 MPs who elected him three years ago.

His National Alliance party is falling apart and it seems unlikely that he will survive as leader for much longer.

The veteran politician, who was knighted by the Queen in 1990, has courted controversy in recent years, earning Australia's wrath in 2006 when he ignored an extradition request for then-Solomon Islands Attorney General Julian Moti to face child sex charges.

In May, Sir Michael apologised after branding anti-corruption activists "mentally retarded", and in June, Papua New Guinea banned reporting and discussion of environmental law changes that could allow a Chinese miner to pump waste out to sea.