 In 2003 , during an appearance on Have I Got News For You , McKellen claimed when he visited Michael Howard , then Environment Secretary ( responsible for local government ) , in 1988 to lobby against Section 28 , Howard refused to change his position but did ask him to leave an autograph for his children . McKellen agreed , but wrote , " Fuck off , I 'm gay . " McKellen described Howard 's junior ministers , Conservatives David Wilshire and Dame Jill Knight , who were the architects of Section 28 , as the ' ugly sisters ' of a political pantomime . 
