Brexit supporter Theresa Villiers represents a constituency where 62 per cent of voters wanted to remain in the EU

Pro-Brexit Conservative MPs who represent areas that voted to stay in the EU are to be targeted in an aggressive “Remain decapitation strategy”.

A hitlist of Tories who defied their constituencies to support Brexit, including Theresa Villiers, the former cabinet minister, and Dominic Raab, a former justice minister, has been drawn up. Under plans being discussed between opposition parties, candidates for Labour, the Liberal Democrats and the Greens would informally agree which party would “have a run” at Tory Brexiteers.

“There are Leave MPs in heavily Remain areas who are sitting ducks and need taking to task by pro-Europeans,” a Remain campaigner said. “It will be done on a seat-by-seat basis depending on whether the Lib Dems or Labour have the best run at it.