I have just changed barsand controls on my 2008 softail and the contols and lever don't have provision for clutch switch so the fault light stays on. I was told just to join the wires together but this did not solve the problem. Any ideas???

You shouldn't have a fault light with the switch. You should have left the switch intact and hid it inside the bars or the wiring loom. All it does is cut out the starter capability if the bike is in gear and the lever is not depressed.

Is the bike throwing a code?

 My 07 wideglide did the same.  Bought a clutch switch off ebay and fitted into the housing so it'd work, there was provision for it to fit in there but the wiring loom used didnt have the two wires needed for the switch.   Hardest part was running the wires through the bars to reconnect the clutch switch.   Cleared the fault code and never had an issue since.  If you just short it out the system just thinks the clutch is permanently pulled in and eventually brings up the error code after about half a km, well thats what mine was continually doing.

I was told to take the switch out and join the two wires,