The leader of the House of Commons, Mr Peter Hain has said it was absurd to think Iraq mole Dr David Kelly could remain anonymous.
Dr Kelly committed suicide at a beauty spot after being named as the prime source for BBC claims that intelligence on Iraq's weapons of mass destruction was "sexed up".
British Prime Minister, Mr Tony Blair will face tough questions about how the scientist was outed at his monthly televised media briefing tomorrow. Defence Secretary Mr Geoff Hoon and communications chief Mr Alastair Campbell have also been blamed for his name coming out.
But, Mr Hain said the government would have been accused of a cover-up if it was not made public.
He told a think-tank seminar: "With the media pack in full cry, the very idea that David Kelly's name could have been kept a secret is absurd. If it hadn't emerged, doubtless the media would have spun it into a cover-up story, with endless speculation on the Today programme as to why."
Mr Hain's remarks came as MPs decided to further delay publication of evidence from their inquiry into the allegations that intelligence was misused.
BBC reporter Mr Andrew Gilligan, who made the claims, appeared before a private hearing of the Commons Foreign Affairs Committee. Mr Gilligan was summoned for a second appearance after Dr Kelly told the committee he did not see how the report was based on what he had said.
The journalist was branded an "unsatisfactory witness" by chairman Mr Donald Anderson and accused of changing his story about his dealings with Dr Kelly. Mr Gilligan claimed he was deliberately ambushed by Labour members.
Both sides agreed to publish the transcript so people could decide for themselves. But the BBC asked for publication to be delayed after Dr Kelly was found with his wrist slashed close to his Oxfordshire home.
Labour MPs had been expected to push for the transcript to be published when the committee met to formally agree to hand over any evidence to the judicial inquiry headed by Lord Hutton. But the committee will now reconsider the issue at its next meeting on September 9th.