A NORTH Wales teenager has been revealed as the mastermind behind a controversial website set up to undermine Labour rebel Clare Short. But David Taylor from Llanfihangel, near Ruthin, stressed he never meant to cause any harm or offence to the former Minister, and said that it all started off as a bit of a joke. And he revealed yesterday he had written to Miss Short, to explain why he had done it. The Shortchange website attracted interest throughout Britain, after it called on Miss Short to be kicked out of the party when she alleged the Government had bugged the United Nations. An intriguing list of people were blamed for setting up the site, from political opponents to an inside dirty tricks campaign. But it turned out to be the work of 18-year-old David, a New Labour supporter who was furious at Miss Short's actions. David, who is studying politics, business and economics at Yale College in Wrexham, said the protest started off as a joke, a bit of political satire. It was not planned to achieve anything and he said that he certainly did not set out to cause any offence. But he and a group of friends were outraged when Miss Short made the allegations. The website called for Miss Short to be expelled from the Labour party, deselected as MP for Birmingham Ladywood, removed from the Privy Council and charged with breaching the Official Secrets Act. It attracted almost 60,000 visits in four weeks and was inundated with e-mail messages from voters before David closed it down. "It created more publicity that I hoped for or I could ever have imagined," David said. He joined Labour at 15, and is secretary of the Clwyd West constituency party as well as branch vice chairman at Ruthin. He also sits on Labour's Welsh executive - so his path may cross Miss Short's one day. | 
