Campaignspotting 2015: The British are coming

Texas Senator Ted Cruz launched his bid for the US presidency last week. Kentucky Senator Rand Paul is set to announce his candidacy next week. And ...

Wait a minute. There's another election season about to begin - and end - in less time than it takes New Jersey Governor Chris Christie to hold a press conference.

Campaignspotting is taking a break from the US presidential campaign marathon to look at the sprint that is the UK 2015 General Election.

On Monday the British Parliament will be officially dissolved, David Cameron will make the traditional trip from 10 Downing St to visit the queen and politicians will hit the hustings in 650 individual races that will determine who runs the show for the next five years (or less!).

And what a campaign it looks to be. While Americans may have grown a bit too comfortable with the left-right, Republican-Democrat face-offs, the Brits are going to have a multi-party fracas that will be as unpredictable as it is entertaining.

Conservative, Labour, UKIP, Liberal Democrats, Scottish nationalists, Welsh nationalists! The possibilities would give your average US election forecaster a pounding migraine.

So for the next week I'll be blogging from the ground here in the UK, witnessing the kickoff spectacle in London, getting a view of the campaigns on the ground and checking out the seven-party debate that's scheduled for Thursday night.

Buckle up. It's going to be quite a ride.