I addressed what was said to me in the very post you've quoted. Chris said that the reason for Starmer's abstentions was to later insert their own amendments. Can you tell me if he inserted any amendments into the SpyCops bill? Can you tell me of any other amendments he's successfully inserted?
I see that you've liked GazC's post where he accuses me of being a liar whilst getting his facts wrong.
If you so wish you can view every debated amendment to every single bill and their recorded votes and who voted for what, it's all public record.
Unfortunately, it would take a long time as there's many debates for every day they sit and it's not very user friendly, but here's the "SpyCops"
bill in its entirety.
The Lords is just one big very expensive talking shop that goes through every bill with a fine tooth comb with amendments fired back and forth until either the government pulls it or forces it through. This process can take over a year.
There are 769 members, the Conservatives have the most with 258, then crossbenchers with 186, then Labour 167. Every single member can add an ammendment with most being voted on by a fraction of the total members, for example around 180 voted on the free school meals ammendment, if Labour did whip for it, the Tories would respond in kind, same result but less options for Labour. The best that can be hoped for is that popular opinion forces a "rethink".
But ultimately, they have no powers over what the sitting government want to do, especially one with a large majority. Abstaining is very common as it allows for more ammendments and debates but again this can be ultimately futile if the government will just push it through Royal Assent anyway, which is why opposition parties often opt to abstain as to not be drawn into potential pointless mud slinging by taking a definitive line.
I totally disagree with the HOL, I think it should be abolished, but it does play an important role in our legislative process, but peoples understanding of that process is very limited and is often misinterpreted.