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Student fees is an issue that hasn't gone away for Plaid Cymru.

They're not at each other's throats at the Spring conference in Cardiff. In fact the mood has been positive on day one but it should, perhaps, be no surprise that on student fees, they're not seeing eye to eye.

Heledd Fychan, one of the party's prospective parliamentary candidates writes this in an article for Barn magazine on the decision to reintroduce top-up fees:

"How can the party leader justify taking such a decision and taking it without discussing the matter with anyone outside the Assembly? Shouldn't it have been discussed with members before agreeing to support Labour? Indeed, why didn't Plaid Cymru in the Assembly stick to their election promise and steer a different course to Labour for the first time since forming the coalition?"

"How" she askes, "can voters be expected to have faith in politicians who say one thing but vote in a quite different way?"

Heledd Fychan is one of the party's brightest sparks. She has strong feelings on the issue and points the finger in her article at every party for failing to come up with a strong vision for higher education. The leadership is "relaxed" about her criticism but don't deny it's pretty scathing.

I spotted her earlier chatting to Plaid chair John Dixon. It was animated but amicable, a case of stiletto versus sandal - no idea who came out best.

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