▁particip ating ▁in ▁that ▁campaign ▁was ▁a ▁focus ▁for ▁people ▁[ to ] ▁take ▁comfort ▁that ▁if ▁Ian ▁McK ellen ▁was ▁on ▁board ▁for ▁this , ▁perhaps ▁it ▁would ▁be ▁all ▁right ▁for ▁other ▁people ▁to ▁be ▁as ▁well , ▁gay ▁and ▁straight . ▁Section ▁ 2 8 ▁was , ▁however , ▁en act ed ▁and ▁remained ▁on ▁the ▁stat ute ▁books ▁until ▁ 2 0 0 0 ▁in ▁Scotland ▁and ▁ 2 0 0 3 ▁in ▁England ▁and ▁Wales . ▁Section ▁ 2 8 ▁never ▁applied ▁in ▁Northern ▁Ireland . ▁ ▁In ▁ 2 0 0 3 , ▁during ▁an ▁appearance ▁on ▁Have ▁I ▁Got ▁News ▁For ▁You , ▁McK ellen ▁claimed ▁when ▁he ▁visited ▁Michael ▁Howard , ▁then ▁Environment ▁Secretary ▁( respons ible ▁for ▁local ▁government ), ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 8 ▁to ▁lo bb y ▁against ▁Section ▁ 2 8 , ▁Howard ▁refused ▁to ▁change ▁his ▁position ▁but ▁did ▁ask ▁him ▁to ▁leave ▁an ▁aut ograph ▁for ▁his ▁children . ▁McK ellen ▁agreed , ▁but ▁wrote , ▁" F uck ▁off , ▁I ' m ▁gay ." ▁McK ellen ▁described ▁Howard ' s ▁junior ▁minister s , ▁Conserv atives ▁David ▁Wil shire ▁and ▁D ame ▁J ill ▁Knight , ▁who ▁were ▁the ▁architect s ▁of ▁Section ▁ 2 8 , ▁as ▁the ▁' ug ly ▁sister s ' ▁of ▁a ▁political ▁p antom ime . ▁ ▁McK ellen ▁has ▁continued ▁to ▁be ▁very ▁active ▁in ▁L GB T ▁rights ▁efforts . ▁In ▁a ▁statement ▁on ▁his ▁website ▁regarding ▁his