I have climbed to the top of the greasy pole.

Disraeli used this phrase in private correspondence after finally attaining the highest office in British politics. In February 1868, following Lord Derby’s resignation, Disraeli became Prime Minister for the first time—after decades of ambition, party maneuvering, and rivalry within the Conservative leadership. Writing to his longtime confidante and political ally Lady Bradford, he described his achievement as having “climbed to the top of the greasy pole,” a vivid metaphor for the precarious, competitive ascent of political life. The remark captures both triumph and a wry awareness of how difficult—and unstable—such success can be.

The “greasy pole” suggests a contest in which progress is hard-won because the very surface of advancement is made slippery by obstacles, rivals, and shifting loyalties. Disraeli’s image conveys that political success is not a straightforward climb based purely on merit; it requires persistence, tactical skill, and luck, and even at the summit one may not feel secure. The phrase also carries a note of self-mockery: having reached the pinnacle, he implies he has endured an undignified scramble as well as a heroic ascent. It has since become a shorthand for the arduous, often unedifying struggle for power and status.