Tory MPs voted to block the release of an internal review of the government's response to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Labour's Shadow Health Secretary Jonathan Ashworth said the publication of the document would ensure better scrutiny of the Government's response to the Indian Covid-19 variant.
It comes as a separate report by the National Audit Office (NAO) found that the pandemic had "laid bare existing fault lines within society and has exacerbated inequalities".
Labour tabled an amendment to today's Queen's Speech vote, to require the Government to publish the review.
But it was voted down by 367 votes to 264 - a majority of 103.
Opening the debate in the Commons, Mr Ashworth said: “Our amendment today calls for the publication of the government’s lessons learned review.
“Not so we can try and undermine the government or find some hole to use across the despatch box, but so we can learn the lessons in our efforts to contain variants and ensure that we are better prepared for the future.”
He added: "For the first time in my life I find myself agreeing with Dominic Cummings who tweeted yesterday “with something as critical as variants escaping vaccines, there is no justification for secrecy, public interests unarguably is open scrutiny of plans”
"Mr Cummings, on this occasion, is right - which is why our amendment today calls for the publication of the Government’s lessons learnt review so we can use these lessons in our efforts to contain variants and to ensure we are better prepared for the future."
The Prime Minister's Official Spokesman has previously confirmed such a document exists, but dismissed it as "an informal, not public-facing work."
The NAO report found the Government lacked a "playbook" for many aspects of its response to the pandemic, including managing a mass disruption to schooling.
It also said greater transparency was needed to ensure the Government "can assess whether it is making a difference".
Gareth Davies, the head of the NAO, said an unreformed adult social care system, workforce shortages and the financial pressure felt by central and local government "all require long-term solutions" after the coronavirus crisis.
