Iain Macwhirter makes some good points (The EU referendum, Project Fear II, and the thorny path the SNP must tread on Europe, Comment, January 17). What is surprising is that, in the face of the evidence, so many left-leaning independistas are declaring their intention to vote for staying in the present EU, albeit "with a heavy heart".

Don't they realise the EU has been captured by market fundamentalists and turned into a neo-liberal project based not on democracy but on the market? The distinguished economist Wolfgang Streeck describes this process as "the transformation of the Keynesian political-economic institutional system of post-war capitalism into a neo-Hayekian economic regime". In other words, the democratic ideals of the original founders of the EU, and the needs of society, have been subordinated to the requirements of the European Central Bank, and, in effect, it is not the people who rule the EU, but capital.

Just remember what the Troika did to the Greeks, and what is involved in the present TTIP proposals to tighten the grip of transnational business over the social demands of autonomous nation-states, particularly concerning health and public service. The EU is now implementing in full what is termed "the Washington Consensus". With this, social democracy as we understand it is not compatible.

So why are the SNP, the Greens and the radical left seemingly united in propping up a system which is so inimical to their basic raison d'etre? The voting public deserves better treatment than this. Surely we are entitled to a full explanation from these party leaders and to a proper discussion of all these issues long before the referendum takes place?

Randolph Murray

Rannoch