We should never forget that Cameron and Osborne inherited from Blair, Brown and Balls a catastrophe, and they deserve sympathy in their struggle to rescue us from it.

BBC: Autumn Statement: Press reaction

And if they had just been a bunch of also-rans all year, then they would not deserve any sympathy.

BBC: [an error occurred while processing this directive]

To that extent, ministers deserve some sympathy for having bowed to the fears of the security advisers who constantly bend their ears with prophecies of doom.

ECONOMIST: Bagehot

The Greek people do deserve our sympathy, however.

BBC: Should we feel sorry for Greece?

They deserve our respect and sympathy.

FORBES: Japan's Energy Dependence