The Null and Void Ordinance was an

Ordinance Ordinance may refer to: Law * Ordinance (Belgium), a law adopted by the Brussels Parliament or the Common Community Commission * Ordinance (India), a temporary law promulgated by the President of India on recommendation of the Union Cabinet * ...

passed by the

Parliament of England The Parliament of England was the legislature of the Kingdom of England from the 13th century until 1707 when it was replaced by the Parliament of Great Britain. Parliament evolved from the great council of bishops and peers that advise ...

on 20 August 1647. On 26 July 1647 demonstrators had invaded Parliament forcing Independent MPs and the

Speaker Speaker may refer to: Society and politics * Speaker (politics), the presiding officer in a legislative assembly * Public speaker, one who gives a speech or lecture * A person producing speech: the producer of a given utterance, especially: ** In ...

to flee from

Westminster Westminster is an area of Central London, part of the wider City of Westminster. The area, which extends from the River Thames to Oxford Street, has many visitor attractions and historic landmarks, including the Palace of Westminster, B ...

. On 20 August,

Oliver Cromwell Oliver Cromwell (25 April 15993 September 1658) was an English politician and military officer who is widely regarded as one of the most important statesmen in English history. He came to prominence during the 1639 to 1651 Wars of the Three ...

went to Parliament with an armed escort, following which the Null and Void Ordinance was passed annulling all Parliamentary proceedings since 26 July. Most of the

Presbyterian Presbyterianism is a part of the Reformed tradition within Protestantism that broke from the Roman Catholic Church in Scotland by John Knox, who was a priest at St. Giles Cathedral (Church of Scotland). Presbyterian churches derive their n ...

MPs then retreated from Parliament leaving the independent MPs with a majority.

References

British Civil Wars, Commonwealth, and Protectorate 1638-60
*"August 1647: An Ordinance for declaring all Votes, Orders and Ordinances passed in one or both Houses since the Force on both Houses, July 26. until the sixth of this present August, 1647. be null and void.", Acts and Ordinances of the Interregnum, 1642-1660 (1911), pp. 998–99. URL
http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.asp?compid=56199&strquery=998
Date accessed: 4 May 2007. 1647 in law 1647 in England English laws English Civil War {{statute-stub