Keir Starmer’s first year as prime minister has been defined by a strong desire for control—whether it’s managing his own party, restricting civil liberties and protests, or creating fear among vulnerable groups. For a supposedly centre-left party, this authoritarian approach doesn’t match the promised “change” from Conservative rule.
Governments and politicians have always sought control—it’s nothing new, dating back to Machiavelli’s The Prince in 1532. But when leaders see power as an end in itself, prioritizing control over meaningful change, they become trapped. In an increasingly unstable world, rigid control only makes things worse.
The same obsession with control exists within the institutions that carry out government policy. Bureaucracies rely on strict rules, rigid hierarchies, and inflexible thinking—often with an overconfident attitude. While some structure is necessary, too much stifles creativity and collaboration. Whether it’s superficial public consultations or failing to address the climate crisis, this need for control prevents real progress.
Put simply, performance targets, top-down decision-making, and excessive government micromanagement won’t solve climate breakdown, the cost-of-living crisis, mental health epidemics, or declining trust in politics. Experts call this overlapping set of crises a “polycrisis”—marked by deep uncertainty and extreme complexity.
After the pandemic, some policymakers have started acknowledging uncertainty. A 2002 report for the European Environment Agency, reviewing over a century of policy decisions, found that ignoring uncertainty often led to failures—like during the BSE crisis. The report concluded that policymakers need more humility, admitting what they don’t know. When institutions pretend to have all the answers, they leave themselves unprepared—and leaders obsessed with control dismiss alternative perspectives. This mindset is dangerous in a world facing rising fascism and ecological collapse.
But the craving for certainty isn’t just a political problem. Psychology, neuroscience, and philosophy all show that our brains are wired to seek certainty. Uncertainty triggers the brain’s fear response, activating the amygdala—an evolutionary survival mechanism. Society amplifies this, with media and political figures pushing oversimplified opinions rather than grappling with complexity.False and misleading claims don’t just spread misinformation—they also trigger our instinctive fear response. During economic downturns and uncertain times, far-right groups exploit this by stirring up emotional reactions against marginalized communities. When those in power adopt and amplify these imaginary fears, it’s no accident—it’s a deliberate tactic to maintain control.
The prevailing form of power in society, including within today’s Labour Party, remains “power over”—a system built on control, domination, and coercion. This leadership style creates pressure and stress that activates our primal threat responses, making people paranoid and overly controlling. I recognize these tendencies—when I became a director at 27, my overconfidence made me want to micromanage everything. I had to consciously resist that impulse to foster collaborative leadership. The concept of “holding uncertainty” helped me pause before acting on my first instinct or the stories my mind created. It taught me to genuinely consider different viewpoints rather than dismissing them. While I still made mistakes, I remained willing to examine my controlling and perfectionist habits.
While “embracing uncertainty” often appears only in self-help books—and feels meaningless when you’re struggling to pay rent or facing deportation—applying this principle to our institutions could counter authoritarianism. It points toward co-creation, pluralistic thinking that breaks down rigid categories, and forming alliances against far-right movements.
We’re now 25 years into this century, with IPCC warnings projecting up to 5.7°C warming by 2100—rendering much of the planet uninhabitable—while fascism gains ground. Addressing the climate crisis, revitalizing democracy, creating a healthier culture, and reshaping our economy all require moving away from control-based systems. We need to learn to let go. What do we really have to lose?
Fran Boait is a leadership coach, freelancer, and writer.
